Fortress Manhattan
by Flygon Pirate
Summary: Sequel to POTF. Nicole is back home in New York City. Everything was back to normal, until the RED Team and the BLU Spy come over for a visit. To make things more of a mess, the RED Spy and TentaSpy return with different plots in mind for her.
1. Another Normal Day

_Author's Note: HELLO, MY GOOD PEOPLE! :D THIS IS WHAT ALL YOU'VE BEEN WAITING FOR: THE SEQUEL TO __**PRINCESS OF THE FORTRESS**__- __**FORTRESS MANHATTAN**__. Now, let's take a look at Anonymous Reviews from the last chapter to POTF._

_**YAY! SEQUAL! 8D- **__I'm happy you loved my ending to POTF. I did too. Well, I hope you find this, cause I think you'd like it. Who knows where Gintaras came from, even I don't know. But we all know that he's insane. XP You love TentaSpies? I love drawing them, but I greatly fear them. (__**Damien**__: Oh, uh...merci. *hugs back* I see that I have a fan... *kisses back on your cheek*) Thanks for the review! :D_

_**just a stinkin' keed~-**__Yes they were. I'm glad you loved this story as much as I loved writing it. Of course that it's continuing! :D Thanks for the review!_

_**Animed2Fox**__- Why thank you very much. A good story deserves a beautiful ending such as that (plus a beautiful storyline, of course) I'm happy that you found the sequel, sorry I didn't put up a seperate link for you. I guess it doesn't matter now. Anyway, I'll reply to your review for this story soon. Thanks for the review!_

_Anyway, I'm happy to present to you: __**Fortress Manhattan**__! (DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN TEAM FORTRESS 2, VALVE DOES!) I hope you all enjoy!_

* * *

It was the end of the school day. More importantly, it was the end of school until next January. It was a rather cold December afternoon, with its chilling wind blowing and gray clouds covering the sky. New York City was as busy as always, with its rushing traffic and bustling people.

Nicole Anderson, a bright girl of age seventeen, hopped out from her bus and onto the sidewalk, heading home after another busy day at her school. By her side was her next door neighbor and best friend, Cassie Clark, a hyper girl of sixteen years with long, straight reddish hair, very light skin, and big, blue eyes. Unlike Nicole, Cassie wore a bright-colored shirt and pants, in opposition to Nicole's darker clothing.

"So what happened?" Cassie demanded, her arms quivering in excitement, "Tell me more! How did you make it out alive? You have to say something!"

Nicole scoffed as she rolled her amber eyes. "I've told you, it has to remain classified…" she repeated for the fifth time. She knew she had to keep her secret, or things would start to lose control.

"Come on! Please? Everyone's been talking about you since the first day of school! You're like a star or something!"

Nicole sighed. "It appears to be so…and I hate the freaking attention! It's been five months or so, when will they just dropped the subject and get back to normal?"

"Well, think about it…You get kidnapped by a crazed taxi driver and come back out alive about four or five days later. That's insane if you ask me!" Cassie said.

"That's because you're spastic almost half the time I'm with you…"

"JUST TELL ME PLEASE!" Cassie begged, almost shouting at the top of her lungs.

Nicole moaned. "Alright! Alright! Will you please keep it down? It's like you're trying to startle a witch or something!"

Cassie laughed. "You and your Left 4 Dead humor…I think you need to work on it."

Nicole laughed sarcastically. "Ha ha…very funny…" she frowned.

If there was one thing in common between Nicole and Cassie, it was they were serious gamers. Both loved to play video games whenever possible, especially Left 4 Dead. They always had a good time shooting infected zombies together, attacking survivors as zombies, fighting against each other, or even just messing around for no good reason.

"Hey! Remember that time when you startled that witch? Oh boy! She owned us, I think!" Cassie said, completely changing the subject, "Still, I don't know why she came to me first and killed me! It just doesn't add up right."

"No…It was you that startled her…" Nicole corrected, fixing her black cap and pushing back her dark-brown hair that was tied in a ponytail.

"How do you know?" Cassie asked.

Nicole gave her friend a cold look. "I have evidence on my computer."

Cassie frowned. "Oh…"

Suddenly, Nicole laughed. "But I was awesome as the hunter last month…Did you see me? I owned everybody!"

"You did…? Oh yeah! I remember! You were great! I think you made everyone jealous! But I have to say…you suck as Francis…I'm sorry."

Nicole's smile disappeared. "Hey! Come on! He's the character I use in the game frequently! You take that back! He's one of my favorites!"

Cassie scoffed. "Nope! Hey, are you ever thinking about getting Left 4 Dead 2 yet?" she asked.

Nicole shook her head. "No way! I'm not getting it because not only did they mess up the hunter's style in that game, which pisses me off a little, but some of the new infected zombies are actually kind of freakish looking."

"You researched, haven't you?"

Nicole nodded. "Yep, and I'm sure glad I did too!"

The two walked down the block, until Cassie spotted her home not too far away. "Hey! We're almost there."

"Good to point out the obvious…" Nicole muttered.

Suddenly, Cassie came to a dead stop. "Hey…do you see that?"

Nicole looked up. "What?"

Cassie pointed at a vehicle parked nearby. "Look over there! An RV! You don't see much of those around here."

Nicole looked over at the old, beaten up camper van. At first, she had a blank look on her face and tried to figure out why it was so strange to her. But she laughed. "HA! That is weird! They must be from out of state or something."

Cassie giggled as well. "That's _really_ going to stand out in the traffic huh? I feel really sorry for whoever owns that piece of crap!"

"I agree!"

"Well, I see ya later, unless you plan to play Left 4 Dead or something." Cassie said.

"I might…"

"And tell me about your story tomorrow! I'm just dying to know!"

Nicole nodded as she sighed. "Yeah, yeah, yeah…I tell you if you shut up about it."

"Will do!"

"Okay, see you around!" Nicole said, heading towards the house next door. She opened the front door. "Hello? Mom, Dad? Are any of you home early yet?"

No response.

"Okay then…I guess I should have realized that it's the usual. I don't see why the both of them have to work for most of the day." Nicole said to herself, flicking the light switch on and closing the door behind her. She then noticed something coming towards her. "Hey, Sally! How've you been?"

A midnight black cat came right up to her, rubbing against her legs and purring madly.

"Oh Sally, I've only been gone for half a day." Nicole giggled, picking up her cat and petting it. "You haven't gotten into any trouble, right?"

Sally responded by licking Nicole's hand.

"Good!" Nicole placed the cat down, "I'll go ahead and feed you in a sec, okay?"

The cat walked away, but when it passed the living room couch, it took off in a dash and bolted upstairs.

"That's weird…Sally's not _that_ spastic…" Nicole shrugged. "Eh, oh well…" she placed her black and white stripped backpack down and headed towards the kitchen. "I wonder what's there to eat…I'm starving…" She opened the pantry. "Hm…let's see…meh, Mom needs to go to the store soon." Nicole blinked as something caught her attention. "What the…?" she looked over at the counter to her left.

Sitting on a plate was half a sandwich with meat, lettuce, and a bit of tomato. Even a toothpick with an olive was sticking out from it. Part of the sandwich was missing, suggesting that someone had took a bite out of it.

"That's weird…Did Dad come home early and left his lunch or something?" Nicole guessed, shrugging her shoulders. "I'll eat later. I wonder what's on the Discovery Channel…" she said to herself, coming back to the living room. That's when she stopped dead in her tracks. "Okay, what the heck is that?"

A jar of yellowish liquid sat at the coffee table in the middle of the room. Nicole was astounded by it, confused on why it would be there in the first place. "Okay…is it…what I think it is?" she shook her head. "No, that's impossible! Who pees in jars now these days? I wonder why it's doing there…How did it even get there?" Nicole thought for a moment.

It had been seven months since she had been kidnapped by the RED Spy and was taken to the Fortress of 1968. Nicole smiled at her memories, thinking back to the events. She remembered clearly when she first trained with the REDs, stole the BLU Intel successfully, snatched by the BLU Spy, persecuted by the other BLUs, abused by the RED Spy, and even when she was nearly raped on two accounts by a certain TentaSpy. It was hard for her to forget such remarkable and terrifying memories, and Nicole preferred to keep it that way.

Suddenly, her train of thought stopped as the lights were switched off. "Huh?" Nicole jumped in alarm. "A power out? That can't be right at all!" she frantically looked around, trying to figure out the situation she was in. "There is so something wrong, and I don't like one bit of it!"

That's when Sally came rushing down the stairs and zipped right passed Nicole. She ran around in circles in a panic before it raced back up the stairs again.

"What the-?" Nicole gasped, "Okay, something screwy is going on here! I want to know why everything is-!"

"SURPRISE!"

Nicole almost fainted from shock to see the lights switch back and a sight that almost blew her mind.


	2. Surprise! It's the RED Team!

_Author's Note:_ _Well, it's time for the Anonymous Review Reply! :D_

**_Animed2Fox-_**_Wow! I'm glad you like the sequel so far! It makes me feel better about this story. I'm going to try my best to update daily. Thanks for the review!_

_**Anonymous- **Okay, okay...I'll do it for the sugar AND JARATE! :D I could use it to throw Spies that are in my house watching me. XP Don't worry, I'll do my best with the posting. ;) Thanks for the review!_

_**Fire-Dragon10 (aka YAY! SEQUEL! 8D)-** Yep, you sure did find it! :D And here's your cookie! *hands over a cookie* Well, it can't be the pizza guy in Nicole's house...because that would be very creepy...XP LOL! Imagine, pizza guys randomly appearing into customers' houses... Yeeah, no. I don't think so...XD I'm just kidding, of course it's our favorite TF2 Boys! :D I LOVE drawing TentaSpies! It's so much fun! Oooh! I would love to see your drawing of Damien! Please! Can you draw him?! That would be SOOO COOL! Hmm, a ref? let's see...There's a good description on him in chapter 33 of POTF, but if you need an actual pic, I'm trying to post up my pics, but Deviantart helped me out a lot. Like I said, I'm trying to put up my drawings of Damien on my friend's DeviantArt account. I'll let you know when it's posted. I, on the other hand, I'm deathly afraid of TentaSpies, but I'm obessed with them at the same time. (I know, it's weird) Aww! That's so sweet! I would love to help Spy Crabs too...but I'm scared that TentaSpies would get me. **Damien:** Oooh, you like me, no? Merci, ma ami. *smiles and kisses you again* Thank you for being such a dear friend. *sneer* **Me: **Uhh...okay...I think Damien's up to something. XP Anyway, thanks for the review! :D_

_Anyway, here's chapter 2! Hope you all enjoy! :3_

* * *

The RED Team all surrounded Nicole, all excited to see her again. Nicole was completely speechless, frozen in shock.

"Hiya, Nikki!" The Engineer greeted, "Surprised to see us?"

Nicole said nothing, her eyes widened of shock.

"HA HA HA!" the Demoman laughed, "I 'ope the lass hasn't been drinkin'."

"I think ze fraulein is dumbstruck…" The Medic frowned, poking Nicole's head gently.

Nicole didn't respond.

The Sniper chuckled. "I think Shelia's lost it…"

"Come on, Nicole! Snap out of it!" The Scout shouted, waving his bat in front of Nicole face, "HELLO, CHUCKLEHEAD! ARE YA DUMB OR SOMETHIN'?! IT'S US, REMEMBER?! WE. HAVE COME. TO VISIT. YOU."

Nothing.

"THAT'S IT!" The Soldier growled. He grabbed Nicole's shoulders and began shaking her. "WAKE UP MAGGOT! WE'RE HERE NOW! SO SNAP OUT OF IT AND SAY SOMETHING, OR I'LL STRANGLE YOU WITH YOUR _OWN_ FRILLY TRAINING BRA!"

Suddenly, Nicole began laughing. "I…can't…believe it…You guys are _all_ here…?" she continued to laugh. "HOW THE HECK DID YOU GUYS FIND MY HOUSE?! AND HOW DID YOU GET IN?! I THOUGHT IT WAS LOCKED! It was no wonder that the door was unlocked when I came in! Well, no matter, I'm still happy to see you guys"

"We had a little help getting' in, plus…we kind of followed you…for a while actually." Jake answered.

"Whose help?" Nicole asked, giving the Scout a glare.

"That would be mine, chéri."

Nicole looked behind her and gasped, terrified to see who it was.

Creeping out from the shadows and standing before her was none other than the RED Spy, Léon, who was her first kidnapper and predator. He smiled at her, his pale blue eyes staring right at her.

Nicole's eye began to twitch. She suddenly began laughing crazily, regretting of what she was seeing. She remembered when the BLU Spy shot him in the head, killing him instantly. It was a surprise to see him alive and well like nothing had happened. Then, without warning, she fainted, collapsing on to the floor.

Everyone else looked over at Léon, giving him a blank look.

The Spy shrugged. "I said nothing to 'er…" he said, putting a white cigarette in his mouth.

* * *

Nicole woke up to the shouts and light taps on her face. "Ugh…wha-?"

"Yo, knucklehead! Wake up!" Jake's voice called, "Tell me you're not dead or anythin'!" he continuously poked at her head until he saw her eyes slowly open.

"Huh…what…happened?"

"And she's alive!" the Scout cheered.

"You fainted..." Klaus answered, "I don't know vhy though…you zeem in good health…"

"Hm," Nicole sat up on the couch, rubbing her head. "Why did I do that…?" she looked up to see Léon again, standing over her. "Oh…that's why…"

"I don't think you two have met…" Bill assumed, "Nikki, this here is Leon, our Spy." He introduced.

The Spy gave the Engineer a cold look. "It is pronounced _Léon_, for jour information, m'sieur." He growled.

Bill nodded. "Yeah, whatever…I'll remember that, eventually."

Nicole slowly stood back up on her feet, trying to regain balance. She gave the Spy a peculiar look. "Oh, um…nice to meet you…I'm Nicole, obviously…" she held out her hand in a friendly matter, trying not to show any aggression despite the past events, "Sorry about passing out and all…" she smiled sheepishly.

Léon smiled at the girl, as if it was the first time they met. "Bonjour, ma chéri, it is such a pleasure to meet jou." He took her hand and kissed it. "My, aren't you a pretty thing…" he chuckled, looking at her right in the eye.

Nicole's heart skipped a beat and her smile vanished in an instant. "Oh…um…yeah….t-t-thanks…" She swallowed hard, trembling a bit.

"You okay there, Nikki?" Bill asked, noticing her horrified look on her face, "You look like you've seen a ghost…"

Quickly, Nicole pulled her hand back and crossed her arms. "Yeah, yeah! I'm fine! It's just a little cold in here, that's all…" she lied. "So, um…how come I never saw him back at the Fortress?" she asked, frowning at the Spy.

"He said that he had been doing…errands." Klaus explained, "And he had recently respawned, although he has refused to tell us vhy."

"Oh…" Nicole nodded in understanding, pretending like she knew nothing. "That makes sense…"

"Hey, can we look around your house for a bit?" Jake asked.

"Yeah, sure! Have fun!" Nicole looked over at the Scout and smiled.

Immediately, Jake ran upstairs excitedly, followed by the rest of the team. Nicole watched them go to the second floor, smiling at the thought of men from the late 1960's awed at 21st Century technology. When they disappeared upstairs, Nicole looked back at the Spy and jumped in alarm.

Léon was glaring at her, giving her the evil eye, and even baring his teeth like an animal would.

"Oh crap…" Nicole muttered as she was pinned against the wall by the Spy.

"Listen jou!" he snarled viciously, "You caused a lot of trouble last time! You are not going to ruin my plans this time, I'll make sure of it!"

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Nicole whimpered, "I'm sorry, I'll try to be good! I promise I'll stay out of your way! I swear!"

Léon chuckled menacingly. "Stay out of _my_ way? Oh no, chéri…That is not what I meant."

Nicole gulped. "Now do I really want to know what you meant?"

The Spy sneered. "Yes, you do…What I meant was that you have to be a _good_ little girl when we spend our time together…" he began petting her cheek gently. "I don't want you fighting back, it makes things so much worse."

Nicole gasped. "You _still_ want to do that with me?! You're sick, even after Jèrèmie shot you in the head! I thought you would learn your lesson by then…and apparently you haven't…"

Léon frowned. "Let's not talk about that, shall we?"

Nicole glared at the Spy. "Aren't you going to confess of what you're doing to me and what your really planning to the rest of your team?! They still don't know!"

"I prefer to keep it that way, if you don't mind. It's far better to keep this _our_ little secret." Léon smiled, cupping his hand under her chin.

"You won't get away with this!" Nicole hissed.

"I would _love_ to see you try…" the Spy sneered, "Not that you can, anyhow."

Nicole flinched, intimidated by Léon's smile. She remained silent.

"So…when can we…'ave our little affairs? When do your parents return?"

Nicole said nothing.

"Tell me now, or else we'll have our affair right now!" Léon threatened.

"They come in very late! My mom comes around at nine and my dad comes back at around ten or eleven….But it varies from time to time!" Nicole answered quickly, shivering in fear.

"You're telling the truth, correct?"

Nicole nodded. "Yes! I swear! Please don't kill me!"

Léon laughed. "Kill you? You're far too sweet, and it would be such a waste to kill you off…as a virgin…"

Nicole swallowed hard. "Uh…how did you find my house?" she asked, trying to change the subject.

Léon cackled. "I was jour taxi cab driver, remember?"

"But…I told you where my stop was, not my actual address…I don't live at Railway Apartments…."

"But you live close to there, no?"

Nicole sighed. "I suppose you're right…"

"Besides, I followed you here…"

Nicole turned pale. "That makes _perfect_ sense, then…stalker…"

That's when the conversation was interrupted by footsteps coming from the stairs. Léon looked down at Nicole, giving her a glare. "If you tell anyone about our last events or even my plans, the last thing jou will feel is cold steel and warm blood trickling down your throat!" he whispered aggressively, pulling his hand back and tightening his fist.

"No…" Nicole shook her head in a panic.

"Then keep this between jou and moi and no one else, understand?"

Nicole nodded once, too terrified to utter a word.

"Good girl." Léon smiled, stepping back from her.

Nicole sighed of relief, satisfied to be freed from the Spy's grip. But in a split second, the Spy's arm quickly wrapped around her shoulders. "What?!"

"Ssh!" the Spy shushed.

"Woo-wee! Would you look at that, boys?" Bill laughed, seeing the two together side by side, "It looks like Nikki and Léon are going to be great friends!"

"Aww! Ain't that cute?" Jake mocked as he came down the stairs, "Have you two been gettin' along?"

Nicole gave the Scout a death glare, saying not a word.

"If you _really_ want to know," Léon said, "We 'ave been…getting to know each other better, right, Mademoiselle Nicole?"

Nicole kept her mouth closed, refusing to speak. She grunted as she felt his hand tightly grip her shoulder. "Uh, yeah! We have…and I've learned some…pretty interesting things too…I have a feeling that we're going to be _great_ friends…" she awkwardly smiled.

Jake frowned. "Uh…you okay there, Nicole?" he asked.

Nicole slowly nodded. "Uhhh, yeah…I'm good! There's nothing to worry about…except that was _really_ cold outside, and I'm still trying to warm up, you know?" she suddenly laughed weakly.

"Hey come on! I need your help, Nicole, you've got to explain what the heck is sitting on your desk!" Jake pleaded, "It's been drivin' me freakin' crazy!"

"What?" Nicole tilted her head to one side.

"Go on now, chéri, help the Scout out." Léon gave Nicole a shove forward. "Have fun." He smiled.

Nicole frowned at the Spy before following Jake upstairs. She turned to her left and opened the door to her room. Her room was a simple one, with the queen-sized bed by one corner and her desk across from it. The walls were painted a cool gray with a creamy white carpet to match them. The bookshelf was filled with mystery, horror, and even science fiction novels and game guides of all sorts. The double doors of her closet were wide open, revealing the clothes hanging from the rail. On her desk sat her flat screen computer, keyboard and monitor.

The Scout stared at the computer in awe. "Holy freakin' crap! That computer's insane! I've never seen anything like it at all! It doesn't even look like a freakin' computer!"

Nicole laughed. "Well, welcome to the twenty-first century, or should I say the year 2009?"

"Who cares, this stuff is awesome!" Jake smiled. He picked up a box that was on the desk. "Left 4 Dead, huh? What the heck is this, anyhow?" his smile disappeared as his confusion grew.

Nicole came up to him and looked over to see that he was holding the game's box. "Oh, that? It's a game I play on the computer sometimes where you get to shoot zombie-like infected people. It's actually kind of fun once you get into it. Are you interested?"

Jake shrugged. "I dunno…I'm still kind of confused with all this high-tech crap…"

Nicole giggled. "I'm sure you'll get used to it eventually."

"OI! LOOK, LADDIES! LOOK WHAT I FOUND! WE HAVEN'T SEEN THESE IN A WHILE! HA HA HA HA!" The Demoman shouted from another room.

Nicole frowned. "Crap! That can't sound good!" she bolted out from the room and ran down the hallway, entering her parents' room. "HEY! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" she demanded.

Angus looked up at Nicole, holding a flimsy bra. Nicole looked down by the dresser next to him, one of the drawers was open. She glared at the Demoman. "Angus! What are you doing with my mom's bra?!"

Angus smiled. "Awww, c'mon, lassie, I'm jus' 'avin a bit o' fun, 'ere…No need to worry at all."

"But you're drunk…and I'm not going to take any chances!" Nicole came up to Angus and snatched the bra away from him, placing it neatly back into the drawer and closing it. "You're lucky my mom didn't catch you playing with her clothes like a five year old!"

"Ye need to settle down, lass," Angus said, patting her head softly, "we're grown men, we know what we're doin'…"

Nicole nodded as she rolled her eyes. "Uh huh…sure…I believe you." She said sarcastically.

The Sniper came into the room. "What's with all the ruckus?" he asked.

"It's nothing, Benny, I'm just making sure that Angus here is going to behave, right?" she glared at the Demoman.

Angus laughed as he left the room. "You're a funny lass, Nicole…" he said, closing the door behind him.

Nicole sighed. "Why does everyone treat me like I'm a kid…?" she asked herself.

"You kind of are one, Shelia." Benny said, approaching Nicole.

Nicole shrugged. "Not really. I'm seventeen year old, that's one more year before true adulthood!"

"Actually no, that's when you're twenty-one." Benny corrected.

"And how do you know that?" Nicole questioned, crossing her arms.

The Sniper glared. "Because I am one, mate."

Nicole frowned. "Ohhh, duh!" she sheepishly smiled. "Oh, hey! Do you want to hear something funny?"

"Hm?"

"Earlier today, my friend and I were coming home from school, and we saw this beaten up camper van by our houses! It was funny, because you don't see anything like that in Manhattan as much. It looked like a piece of crap."

The Sniper glared at her angrily. "That would be _my_ van, Shelia." He growled, "Not to mention that I _live_ in that said van…"

Nicole gasped. "Oh! It is? I am _so_ sorry! I didn't know! Wait…how the heck did you bring your van here…with the U.T.?!" she asked, realizing that the Engineer's invention she was introduced from before was no bigger than a phone booth.

"Ask Engy, how should I bloody know?!" Benny snapped.

Nicole blinked. "Sorry…I was just wondering…geez…" she then walked out from the room, hoping not to upset the Sniper any further. When she closed the door, she noticed the Pyro standing in front of her.

"Hey! Pyro! How's it going?" Nicole smiled, before noticing what Pyro was holding in his arms. "Uhh, why are you holding my cat?" she asked, eyes widened in shock.

Pyro muffled something as he gently stroked Sally's black fur. Nicole was surprised to hear her cat purr loudly.

But she smiled instead of screaming in panic. "Aww, at least my cat likes you…" she giggled.

Pyro muffled something once again, although Nicole couldn't understand what it was. "See ya, Pyro!" she said, heading to the stairs. Along the way back down to the first floor, she noticed the Soldier and Engineer, sitting on the couches and having a conversation. She also spotted Léon leaned against the wall and smoking his cigarette, the Heavy in the kitchen finishing his sandwich and Klaus reading a book by the front door. "Hey guys! What'cha doing?" she asked, coming into the living room.

Bill looked up to see Nicole join with them. "Hey, Nikki, we're just talkin' 'bout how great your place is, that's all."

"You deserve a medal!" Kyle grinned, giving her a thumbs-up.

Nicole smirked back, sitting on a lone lounge chair. "Thanks, Kyle…So…What's the occasion of coming all the way over here to see me?" she asked.

"Well we figured that Christmas was coming in your time…so we all decided to celebrate it with you, including New Years."

Nicole blinked in surprise. "But it's only December 4th! We only have about three more weeks until Christmas, and an additional week including New Years!"

"Yeah, we figured…" Bill sighed, "But we just wanted to spend time with ya."

Nicole nodded. "Yeah, I know…but you can't stay here!"

"How come?" Kyle asked, "Are we not good enough to stay here, maggot?"

"Oh no, no, no! It's not that at all. It's just that…I still live with my mom and dad. I mean think about it, my parents would just die of fright if they saw any of you. Plus, I don't think a mere two story house can fit all nine of you plus my family…Heck, this house is just barely big enough for my family, even though it's a small two-story house in Manhattan, which I believe you can rarely find in a place like this!" Nicole explained. She then thought for a moment, trying to think of the perfect solution to the problem. "Hmm…I got it! There's this abandoned factory near here by the harbor! It is big enough to fit all nine of you! Nobody goes in there anymore, so it's the perfect hiding spot!"

"How close is it?" Bill inquired.

"Only a short walk from here. My house is in front of the harbor…somewhat…and that factory is right there to the left! Now that I think of it, it's kind of a coincidence."

"Can we just take the Sniper's camper van and drive there?" Kyle suggested.

Nicole frowned. "Oh yeah…we still need to move that van somewhere…How did it fit _all_ of you…and how did you get it all the way here, too?"

"We could barely fit in that tiny thing!" Bill answered, "Besides, I invented a travel-sized U.T., to teleport vehicles and such…I thought that would come in handy. Plus, each of us has our own device that sends us back to the Fortress just in case of an emergency. I brought an extra one just in case one of them broke, but I can't find it anywhere…"

"Oh, hey, can you guys excuse me? I have to get something from my room really quick!" Nicole said, jumping out from her seat and running back up the stairs again. She entered her room and frantically looked around. "Now, where's my phone?" she asked herself. She then noticed something on her bed. "Ah ha! There it is!" she came up to her beside and reached for it.

But suddenly, the phone jumped out of the way, completely on its own.

"What the heck?" Nicole jumped in surprise. She reached for it again.

Again, the phone leapt out of the way.

"How is it-?! Why is it-?! WHAT?!" Nicole growled, snatching the phone successfully. "Okay…I got it…no big deal, right?"

That's when the door closed. Nicole whirled around to see what it was. But no one was there. She shrugged, thinking that it was nothing before turning back again. She dropped her phone, astonished to see a familiar figure standing on the other side by the closet doors.

"Surprised to see me again, chéri?" the BLU Spy smiled.

Excitedly, Nicole ran up to him and hugged him. "Jèrèmie! It's so good to see you again!"

Jèrèmie wrapped his arms around her. "It's good to see jou too, ma cher."

"How did you get here without the REDs knowing?" Nicole asked.

"Chéri, invisibility is the key to my stealth, as you can tell."

Nicole frowned. "Oh yeah…but how are you going to get back to your time? The REDs have the little device thingies…and you…"

"Took an extra one right under their noses." The BLU Spy grinned, finishing Nicole's sentence for her.

"No wonder Bill said that there were missing their extra one." Nicole thought to herself.

"Shhh," Jèrèmie hushed, putting a finger up to her mouth, "Let's try not to give that away to the REDs."

Nicole's heart hammered against her chest. She kept silent for a moment, trembling of anxiety.

"Are you alright, mademoiselle?" Jèrèmie asked, "Why are you so nervous?" he pulled his finger away.

Nicole looked up at the BLU Spy, staring into his soft, chocolate brown eyes. "How…do you know?"

"I can feel your heartbeat against my chest." Jèrèmie chuckled.

Shyly, Nicole pulled herself away. "Oh! S-Sorry…I didn't mean too…"

Jèrèmie gently patted her head with one hand. "How is it your fault? There's no need to blame yourself."

Nicole smiled weakly. "I guess…you're right…" she said.

"Chéri, there is nothing to be afraid of." The BLU Spy placed an arm around her. "I'm always going to be here for jou, no matter what happens. If jou need somebody to talk to, don't hesitate to come to me."

Nicole looked up at Jèrèmie, her smile grew. "Thanks, Jèr…"

"HEY! COME ON, NIKKI!" The Engineer called from downstairs, "ARE YA READY TO SHOW US THAT NEW PLACE?!"  
Nicole jumped in alarm. "Oh! YEAH, I'LL BE DOWN THERE IN JUST A MINUTE!" she called back. She looked back at Jèrèmie. "I think I forgot to mention that-"

"Don't tell me, I already know." Jèrèmie said.

Nicole frowned. "You were eavesdropping, weren't you?" she guessed.

"But of course, I am a Spy, after all." Jèrèmie sneered, disappearing in his invisible cloak.

Nicole sighed, shaking her head in dismay. "I should have known by now…" she scoffed.

_Yes, you should have._ Jèrèmie's voice whispered in her ear.

Nicole yelped. "Hey! Cut that out!"

The BLU Spy's laughter could be barely heard. _You are still fun to mess with. I'll meet you in the factory._

Nicole nodded. "Okay, will do." She said, leaving her room. "I just hope everyone is going to be okay with this…" she mumbled to herself.


	3. Down By the Old Factory

_Author's Note: Okay guys, it's time for the Anonymous Review Reply!_

_**Fire-Dragon10- **Yay! I'm happy you like cookie! :D Yes! Leon is back. XO And he wants her...BADLY! I'm trying to have my friend post up pictures of Damien on DeviantArt, but it's taking a while...I'll try to get it in as soon as possible. Uhh...I think you'll get more than a modeling from Damien, if you know what I mean. **Damien:** Aww! Jou are no fun, Flygon! **Me: **Sorry, Damien...but you're technically stuck in my head. If only I had a DeviantArt account, I would love to put you on my watch...but I sadly don't have an account yet. But I'll check on your profile frequently. I promise! :) Aww! Jacque is SOO cute! I would like to see you draw him. :3 Thanks for the review!_

**_Animed2Fox- _**_Meh, an old factory was the only thing I could think of. It wasn't my best shot, but it works. Yeah! That would so cool if there was an underground base! Thanks for the review!_

_Anyway, here's chapter 3. Enjoy! :D_

* * *

Nicole pushed the heavy door open, managing to open it wide enough for her head to poke out. She peeked inside the dark interior of the factory. "Okay, guys! The coast is clear." She called.

The main floor was almost empty, except with the few conveyor belts out in the back and few chairs and tables scattered across the floor. The ceiling lights hung above were off. Stairs towards the left led to the second floor.

The Heavy was the first to swing the door open, nearly trampling Nicole. "Little girl is still credit to team! HA HA!" he ran inside excitedly.

Next, the Scout ran in, zooming passed Nicole. "Now this is more like it! Now the only problem is makin' it look less crappy."

The Engineer entered the giant factory. "This ain't half bad…Fixin' it up won't be any trouble at all. All we need is electricity and we would be good to go! Hey, Nikki, how long has this ol' factory been closed?"

Nicole followed Bill inside. "For a couple months now…I think…This place used to make computers…or so I've been told by my dad…" she answered, "I think they had to close it down because of the poor location…I guess it's kind of obvious because why put a computer factory over a harbor?" she laughed weakly.

The Soldier came in. "Ehhh, I've seen better…But it works for me…"

Following Kyle was the Sniper. He looked around indifferently. "It's like livin' at our base back in the Badlands…"

"Well, at least you'll feel more at home." Nicole smiled.

Benny sighed. "I suppose…" he shrugged, "But it's too bloody cold!"

Léon glanced around in the empty factory. "At least we 'ave nothing to worry about for now." He looked down at Nicole. "You have done well, chéri, I admire your knowledge." He gently patted her head.

Nicole froze in fear. "Uhhh…t-t-thanks." She said nervously.

That was when the Pyro waltzed in, muffling something to Nicole and giving her a pat on the back.

"You're welcome Pyro!" Nicole smiled at Pyro, "I'm glad you liked the place!"

"You know, chéri," the Spy continued, "Jou and I could…take a look around if you want." He sneered, whispering to Nicole.

Nicole's spine tingled. "Um, no thanks, I have to get home soon…in about an hour or so…"

"But that is plenty of time…"

"I have jobs to do at home…plus I got to feed my cat!" Nicole suddenly remembered, "Oh…I hope she isn't starving!"

"Relax, chéri, everything will be fine. Jou're just making up excuses," Léon leaned closer, glaring at her. "I'm not going to allow that, jou know!" he snarled in her ear.

Nicole flinched. "Aaah! U-Uh…c-c-can you excuse me? I'm going to see what Bill's up to." She said, taking off in a dash.

Bill noticed Nicole running up to him. "Hey, Nikki, what's the hurry? He asked.

Nicole stopped. "Oh, it's nothing, Bill…I'm just excited to see you guys admiring the place!" she lied.

The Engineer laughed. "Thanks, missy. Hey! I just came up with the plans!"

Nicole frowned. "What plans?"

"The plans to make another teleporting machine for this place, only this time, it'll just send us back to the Fortress of our time instead of luggin' these itty-bitty devices. It might take about several weeks or so to complete it, but at least I won't be as distracted like I am back at our base."

Nicole nodded. "That sounds cool! I hope you finish it soon." She jumped alarm as she felt a light tap on her shoulder. She looked behind her to see what it was, but nobody was behind her.

"You okay there, Nikki?" Bill asked, giving her a concerned look.

Nicole nodded. "I'm good."

_Meet me upstairs. _A voice softly whispered.

"Huh?" Nicole blinked.

The Engineer frowned at the girl. "What is it?"

"I thought I heard something…" Nicole looked around, "Uh, I'm going to see what's upstairs really quick." She said, heading to the stairs.

"Alright, you go right ahead." Bill smiled.

Nicole walked up the stairs slowly, hoping that no one would follow her. Once she made it upstairs, she glanced around at the second floor. The hallways led to several offices and rooms. She gasped as she felt a cold wind zip passed her.

_This way…_

Nicole saw one of the doors open, she reluctantly walked towards it, looking inside to see a blank room.

_Don't be shy…come in…_

Taking in a deep breath, Nicole stepped in, looking around cautiously. The door closed behind her on its own, or so it looked.

"Okay…where are you?" Nicole asked quietly, her heart racing of anxiety.

"Right behind you."

Nicole yelped as she felt hands grab her by the shoulders. "HOLY CRAP!" she jumped and whipped around to see the BLU Spy behind her. "Oh…it's you…" she panted, "You gave me a heart attack! Don't do that again!"

Jèrèmie laughed. "So sorry, chéri, I 'ave to admit that you are so much fun to scare."

Nicole frowned, crossing her arms. "You say that almost every time…"

"But I have to remind you all the time."

Nicole shrugged. "Eh, I guess so…" she gave him a peculiar look. "What is it that you wanted?" she asked.

"I need to talk to jou," Jèrèmie said, taking out his disguise kit, "And I don't think you are not going to like it."

Nicole motioned her hand, gesturing to continue. "Go on…" she said with a heavy sigh.

"I understand that you are having problems with the RED Spy, correct?"

Nicole nodded, trembling a little. "Yeah…"

"It seems that I cannot interfere with the RED Team in any way, including that fool of a Spy, in order to keep my presence a secrecy." The BLU Spy explained as he plucked out a brown cigarette and placed it in his mouth, putting away the disguise kit.

"What?! You're not going to protect me?!" Nicole panicked.

"That's not what I meant. It means that I cannot help you if you are _with_ them. They still hate my existence and would shoot me if I was even a mile away from them. But it won't mean I'll not be by your side! I'm still here if you ever need me and I'll always be watching jou at most times."

Nicole smiled weakly. "Thanks, Jèr…But can't you just shoot the RED Spy and get it over with…wait…" she pondered for a moment. "Respawning doesn't exist here…"

"That is another reason why I cannot help you much with your problems with that…that foolish RED Spy. If I _were_ too kill him, his death would be permanent, and I am not willing to take any chances. The REDs would be furious if it were to happen."

Nicole nodded in understanding. "I guess we don't want that, do we?"

"Non." Jèrèmie began lighting his cigarette with a lighter.

"Hey…uh…Jèrèmie?"

"Hmm?"

"You still care about me, right? I mean, you sounded like you didn't just then…I just want to make sure…you know…for safe reasons…"

The BLU Spy took in a deep breath and sighed, smoke escaping from his mouth. "Oh, chéri, of course I care for you, more than anything." He put his arm around her. "I am terribly sorry if you didn't understand much, but it's for the best. Jou don't want to see me dead, do you?"

Nicole shook her head. "No…"

"Good, then just keep my presence a secret, understand?"

Nicole gave a curt nod. "Yes, sir."

"Excellent, now you run along now. I think it's getting late…"

Nicole took out her phone and gasped to see '8:00 pm' on the small screen. "You're right! I gotta get going…I'll see you around, Jèrèmie."

The BLU Spy slowly nodded. "Au revoir." He said as he disappeared.

Nicole's expression turned blank of confusion. "Hm, I'm still wondering what that was all about... I wonder what he meant by not interfering?" she headed to the door and opened it. She jumped in alarm to see the RED Spy standing in front of her. "Oh….uhh, h-h-hey, Léon…What is it?"

The RED Spy glared at her. "Who were you talking to in there?" he asked.

"Nobody…"

One of Léon's eyebrows arched. "Oh really, chéri, I don't think so…"

Nicole gulped. "Uh…I got to get home…So I can't talk right now, bye!" she said hurryingly, bolting off to the stairs. Once she got back to the first floor, she raced for the front door.

"Hey, Nicole, what's the rush?" Jake asked.

"I have to get going, bye!" Nicole said as she struggled to open the door. "Dang it, it's so heavy!" she muttered to herself. She panicked even more as she spotted the RED Spy slowly coming down the stairs. With one last push, Nicole barely opened the door, wide enough for her to slip through. She closed the door and ran outside on the sidewalk. "Léon can't know…" she repeated to herself continuously, "He can't know…" She stopped for a brief moment, catching her breath. "Man, was that close…"

Suddenly, she grew quiet as she heard a soft voice, singing in the night. The beautiful singing rung in the air like heaven's bells, putting Nicole in a mysterious trance.

"Wow…where's that coming from?" she asked herself, wandering towards the edge of the harbor and to the water. As she grew closer, the singing grew louder. She stopped at the edge of the concrete platform, looking over at the water. "That's strange…" she muttered, getting on one knee. A thought came to her mind, making her more nervous. "Now where have I've seen this before?"

Without warning, the water splashed as a black, snake-like thing leapt out and snatched Nicole by the throat, yanking her into the cold and murky waters.


	4. Damien Returns

_Author's Note: And now it's time for the Anonymous Review Reply!_

_**Fire-Dragon10**-Yes he is! I won't be much of a sequel without him (And he has a SURPRISE in this chapter!). I would do the same thing if Leon was trying to do something with me. **Damien:** Oooh, yeah, that's right...keep going. **Me:** O__o Same here, I hope I get one soon. I think you draw Damien WITH his suit AND WITHOUT his suit. :3 But obviously let him keep on his mask and gloves when his shirtless, because I think that would be good on him. YAY! JACQUE! I can't wait to see the drawings. Let me know when you are done with them. :D Thanks for the review! _

_**Animed2Fox**- I bet you are! Yeah, but the Heavy would not believe her if Nicole tried to tell him about the RED Spy...besides, Leon is WATCHING! XP Thanks for the review!_

And enjoy this next chapter, my good readers! *hands out sandwiches* X3

* * *

Nicole groaned and coughed up water as she awakened, finding herself lying on her back on a smaller concrete platform. "Wha…what was that?" she croaked. Her eyes opened slowly, gradually regaining her vision.

"That's it chéri, wake up…"

"Who…?" Nicole moaned, looking to her right as her complete vision returned. She screamed in horror, only to be cut off quickly as something snake-like and slippery wrap around over her mouth.

"Shhh, don't be frightened, ma petite squatine, it is I…"

Nicole's eyes were widened with shock, she quivered in fear. She tried to pull on the tentacle that was around her mouth, but it refused to budge.

The TentaSpy, who was in the water next to the platform and resting his crossed arms on it, chuckled darkly. "What's the matter? You're acting like you never met me before. Now stop, chéri, you are going to disturb our neighbors upstairs."

Nicole stopped. The tentacle around her mouth uncoiled and slipped back into the water. "D-D-Damien?! What are _you_ doing here?! And what did you mean by neighbors upstairs?"

"I came to see jou, what else did jou expect?" Damien said, not answering Nicole's second question. He sneered at her, looking at her with his golden reptilian eyes. "My, my, my, jou're just as beautiful as I remembered. You haven't changed a bit." His gloved, clawed hand reached out towards Nicole and touched her face. "Even your flesh is just as soft as before. It intrigues me so much…I wonder if your blood is just as sweet…"

Nicole's heart hammered beneath her chest as she looked into his eyes. She was completely frozen in fear. "Why did you kidnap me?!"

"How else was I supposed to get you to come to me without attracting any other unwanted attention?" Damien frowned, pulling back his hand.

Nicole shrugged. "I don't know, call to me?!" she snapped.

"Didn't you hear my singing?"

Nicole blinked. "Oh yeah, sorry, Damien, but next time…please don't scare me like that again! I could have drowned!"

"My apologies, ma cher, but the only way to get 'ere is by diving underwater. As you can see, we are under the factory…not directly underneath, should I say, and there is a wall that stretches five feet below into the water itself."

Nicole gave the TentaSpy a blank look. "What factory? You mean the factory that the RED Team is in?" she looked up to see a wooden ceiling seven feet above her.

Damien nodded. "Oui."

Nicole gasped. "Seriously, how _did_ you get here without being caught?!"

"Invisibility, of course. As you are aware, I am like any other Spy…Course that I'm not _entirely_ human." Damien snickered, his tentacles slithering out from the water and creeping towards Nicole, "It also means I have everything a typical Spy has. The knife, the guns, the watches, and even the disguise kit…"

"So I guess that's one reason why you're called a Tenta_Spy_." Nicole said, trying to scoot away from the inky black tentacles coming towards her. "So, um…how have you been doing?" she asked, changing the subject.

Damien smiled, revealing his razor sharp teeth. "I 'ave been doing just fine, thank you for asking. My life couldn't be any better. Despite the new responsibilities I have, it is quite worth it."

"Oh, you mean you not eating the RED Team or the BLU Spy like I mentioned before?" Nicole guessed.

"Not really, but I guess you can say that's one of them…" the TentaSpy shrugged.

"What do you mean by 'responsibilities'?" Nicole asked, giving Damien a suspicious look.

"Who's that?" a tiny voice interrupted. "Who's that?"

Nicole looked around, trying to see where the voice was coming from. "What was that?"

"She's pretty! Who is that?" another small voice said, "Who is it? Who is it?"

Nicole gave Damien a blank look. "What's going on, Damien?"

That's when two small figures emerged from the water. The two boys, appearing to be size of an average three year old, wore small suits, black gloves, and balaclavas, looking almost like Damien.

"Dimitri, Seth, this is Nicole, the one that I have been talking to you about for a while." Damien explained.

Dimitri, the boy with a gray mask and suit, smiled. "You mean Aunt Nikki?!" he asked happily, his bronze reptilian eyes glistened.

Seth, the second boy with the darker gray mask and suit cheered. "Yay! It's Aunt Nikki!"

Nicole eyes widened in surprise, staring at Damien in complete silence as she realized the real truth. "You mean…that…that…"

Damien chuckled. "That's right, chéri, I'm a father now."

Seth climbed onto the platform and scurried to Nicole, looking at her with his bright red reptile-like eyes. "Hi, Aunt Nikki!" he smiled, his small, dark gray tentacles coiling around Nicole's arms.

"AWWW!" Nicole squealed in delight as she sat up, "Aren't you two just adorable!" she giggled.

Dimitri crawled out from the water and climbed on Nicole's back, trying to tickle her with his small, lighter gray tentacles. "Play with us, Aunt Nikki! Play! Play!"

Nicole continued to laugh. "How cute! You two are so wonderful!"

"Settle down, children…" Damien said, "I know that this is your first time seeing Nicole, but try not to tire her out."

"They're okay, Damien, they're not doing anything bad…" Suddenly, Nicole frowned as an important question came to mind. "Uhh, where did the children come from anyway?"

"Sh!" The TentaSpy hushed, putting his black tentacle over Nicole's mouth, "Not in front of my children, mind you! I'll tell you some other time…if you want, of course." The tentacle pulled itself back.

Nicole felt a sudden chill. "Uh…o-okay."

Damien nodded, and then looked over at his children. "Dimitri, Seth, it's time for bed."

"But Daddy!" Dimitri complained, "I want to play with Aunt Nikki!"

"Daddy, can't Aunt Nikki stay with us?" Seth asked, "Please?"

"I'm sorry, children, but it's far past your bedtime. Say goodnight to Nicole."

"Okay…" Seth leaned over and kissed Nicole on the cheek. "Goodnight, Aunt Nikki."

Dimitri did the same. "Nighty-night, Aunt Nikki!"

"Goodnight, boys…" Nicole smiled at them.

With that, the two baby TentaSpies dived into the water.

That's when Nicole gave a surprised look to Damien. "You have kids now?! Wow…that's quite shocking, if you ask me…how old are they?" she asked.

"Each of them are a month old, they are twins." The TentaSpy answered proudly.

"They're a _month_ old and they can already talk like that?! Holy crap! That's amazing! How is that possible?!"

Damien picked up one of his tentacles with his hand. "We are half octopus, remember? Our intelligence is doubled compared to a human's. No offense, chéri…"

"Ohhh, I get it." Nicole frowned as she saw the tentacle that Damien was holding wiggling towards her. "Get that thing away from me!" she whimpered.

"It's not going to hurt you, chéri. See? It _really_ likes you. Heheheh…Don't be afraid." Damien teased, holding the tentacle up to Nicole.

"Ack! Get it away! Get it away!" Nicole pleaded, holding up her hands in front of her face in defense. She gasped as she felt suction cups touch her fingers, "GET THAT THING AWAY FROM ME!"

"I see you're still troubled from our past events, no?" Damien said, pulling away his tentacle and putting it back down.

"Somewhat…I know you promised…but still…it haunts me to this day…" Nicole began to shiver. She stood up and backed herself against the wall behind her.

"Aww, there, there, now, ma chéri, there is nothing to be afraid of." Damien got onto the platform, wrapping his arms around Nicole. "I am going to do my best to keep my promise. You'll see…"

Nicole continued to tremble. "But-!"

"It will be alright, trust me…" Damien's tentacles began to wrap around Nicole's legs and waist.

"C-Can I just go home now? I'm late…and my parents might kill me if they notice I'm gone." Nicole squeaked.

"But of course you can. I kept you here for too long…" Damien said, grabbing Nicole by the shoulders with his hands, "Here, let me help you."

"Wait! What are you doing?!" Nicole demanded, "Tell me you're not going to-!"

The TentaSpy dived into the water, dragging Nicole with her. He held tightly to her wrist with his clawed hands. Nicole was struggling, trying to hold the little breath she had. Once they hit a wooden wall, Damien dove deeper, looking for the bottom of it. Once he found it, he swam under it and raced to get to the surface. Nicole was quite shocked to realize how fast and graceful Damien was in the water.

Finally, Nicole's head hit the surface of the water. She gasped for her breath, scrambling to get to land. Damien pushed her back onto the edge of the sidewalk with his tentacles. Nicole laid there flat on her back, coughing and spitting out water. She glared at Damien, who was keeping his head just above water. "Don't you ever…_EVER_ do that to me again without warning! I think I almost drowned!"

Damien snickered. "Sorry, chéri…You can't expect me to be a _perfectly_ good TentaSpy. And I apologize that the water was too cold for you…I'll see jou again soon…" He then disappeared into the water.

Nicole slowly got back onto her feet. "That was the scariest fifteen seconds of the day…" she sighed. She looked down and saw her phone on the ground. "What's that doing here? At least it isn't wet…" she said to herself, kneeling down to pick it up. "Aw, crap! 8:45?! You've got to be kidding me!" she growled, standing back up and running down the sidewalk, trying to get to her house as fast as she could, "And how the heck does nobody notice that incident I just had?! It's like everyone is blind or something! Sheesh!"


	5. Out in New York

_Author's Note: Okay, guys! It's time for the Anonymous Review Reply!_

_**Fire-Dragon10**-YAY! GIR! :D Yes, Damien is a Daddy! X3 I know, I want to hug them! I saw both the line-art and the colored version! They are AWESOME! XD I posted the links on my profile, hopefully to have all my readers look at it! You did a great job! *gives another sandwich* I would love to see more of your awesome fan-art! **Damien:** Keep going, ma cher...it feels so good...Ahhh, yesss. *purrs* **Me:** *covers eyes* Thanks for the review!_

_(No Name)- Yep, it's Damien, alright! :D Who else is half-human, half-octopus? XP Anway, thanks! Yeah, that would be kind of scary. 0__0 Especially when there are Spies! Thanks for the review!_

_**Dr. Lightbulb**- Yay! Party! Hmm, one day, the world will know who the TentaSpy's "mate" is. I'm thrilled to post up the next chapter! Thanks for the review!_

_**Animed2Fox**- Yep, it's always weird with a TentaSpy around. XD YAY! HUG! *hugs back* Thank you! I'm happy to see you like my story. :3 Thanks for the review!_

To my readers: I would LOVE to see more Fan-Art (Like **Fire-Dragon10 **did). If you want to do fan art, let me know, and I'll be more than happy to post the links to the pics onto my profile. 

_And here's the next chapter! :)_

* * *

Nicole felt something lick her nose as she woke up. She smiled to see Sally perched on top of her. "Morning Sally…" she yawned, "Is it morning already?"

The cat purred loudly, nudging her head against Nicole's.

"Alright, alright…I'm up, I'm up….Sorry…I've been staying up late thinking…You know? With all my friends from the Fortress here…it's just unbelievable! You know?"

Sally jumped off from Nicole, curling up in a ball near by the edge of the bed.

"Fine, be that way…" Nicole laughed, sitting up, "Geez…I'm just happy I made it in time…That was close to…Good thing my parents came in one minute after I did." She looked out her window.

It was a typical Saturday morning. Nicole sighed as she realized the weekend had arrived. "I wonder how the RED Team did on their first night here…" she muttered to herself, getting out from her bed. "I just hope that Jèrèmie's okay…" she sluggishly walked out from her room. "Is it already ten in the morning? Dang, I must have been really tired then…" she walked down her stairs. "Mornin', Mom and Dad…" she called.

The two people down stairs looked up and smiled. "Hi, sweetie, how was school yesterday?" the mother asked. She kept her brown hair in a small bun and wore a light blue hoodie and dark colored jeans.

"Fine," Nicole yawned, joining her parents in the living room.

"Quite strange you went to bed _early_…" the father said, who was sitting on the couch and working on his laptop, "It's not you at all, Nicole. Are you alright?" he wore a fine grey suit and had shined black shoes.

"Dad," Nicole scoffed, "It was midnight! It wasn't that bad, I wasn't even doing anything." She protested.

"Well, no matter, you're lucky that it's a weekend."

"Hey, are you guys doing anything?" Nicole asked.

"As a matter of fact, I have to run to the groceries and your father is going to do an errand. We'll leave the house to yourself if you want." The mother answered.

Nicole nodded, seeing it as an opportunity. "Uh, yeah, sure, that will be fine."

"We'll be back around 3, and if you need us, call us." Her mother added.

Nicole smirked. "Don't worry, Mom, I got everything under control."

"Oh, and don't forget to clean the litter box." Her father reminded, closing the laptop, "The laundry room smells like a cat in there…"

Nicole frowned. "Okay."

Both parents began head for the door. "See you!" the mother waved.

Nicole smiled and nodded back. "Bye!"

The parents left the house, closing the door behind them.

Nicole's smile disappeared. "Why are they so freakin' busy all the time?! Why did both of them have to get jobs? Sure, my dad being a lawyer is okay…but my mom as a nurse? Hmm, I think they're going to work themselves to death…" she ran back upstairs. "Great! Now I can see how the guys are doing back at the factory!" she dashed into her room, opening the closet. "Now, when could I clean that litter box…Meh, I'll do it when I get back…" she said to herself.

* * *

Nicole peeked inside the factory. "Hey, guys? Are ya in?" she called.

No response.

"Hello? It's me, Nicole! Just wanted to check to see if everything's alright…"

Silence.

Nicole stepped in. "HELLO?! BILL?! KYLE?! KLAUS?! JAKE?! ANYONE AT ALL?! SERIOUSLY! I'M GETTING A LITTLE CREEPED OUT HERE!" she shouted as she glanced around for any signs of moment.

All was still and quiet in the factory. Although the ceiling lights above were lit, the huge room still had a certain, eerie feeling that wouldn't leave Nicole alone.

Nicole felt a chill in the air. "COME ON, GUYS! I'M FREAKIN' OUT! SOMEBODY GIVE ME A SIGN THAT YOU GUYS ARE HERE!"

The door closed behind Nicole, startling her a bit. She glared at the door, knowing something, or someone, was with her.

"SERIOUSLY! SHOW YOURSELVES! WHAT'S THE BIG DEAL?!" Nicole growled.

That's when the RED Spy suddenly appeared right in front of Nicole. "PEEK-A-BOO!"

Nicole screamed, jumping back and hitting her head against the wall. "AAAHHHHH! GEEZ! WHAT IS YOUR PROBLEM?!"

That's when the rest of the RED Team came out from various hiding places, laughing and pointed fingers at Nicole.

"AH HA HA HA HA! LITTLE GIRL IS BABY!" Bolesalv laughed, "IT'S FUNNY TO ME!"

"Ha ha ha ha…eh-he…yeah…" Jake laughed, "Yeah…he got ya _good_, Nicole. You should have seen your face! It was freakin' hilarious!"

Pyro hysterical laughs were nothing but muffles, as he pointed his finger at Nicole.

Bill chuckled. "Nice on, Nikki, but I've been a better reaction from you before."

"You're still as jumpy as a joey, Shelia." Benny sneered.

Léon smiled at Nicole. "Sorry to pop in unannounced, chéri, I just wanted to see if the rumors are true. Now I believe that you are quite paranoid, should I say." He snickered.

Nicole frowned at the Spy, trying to hold in her anger. "I forgive you…" she said flatly.

Suddenly, the Soldier stopped laughing, frowning at Nicole. "WHAT IS THAT YOUR WEARING?!"

Nicole looked down at her blue shirt and jeans. "Uh…it's just a shirt…and jeans..." she said.

"YOU ARE A DISGRACE! WEARING BLUE IS FOR MAGGOTS! YOU ARE A TRAITOR!" Kyle yelled, "I AM GOING TO CLAW MY WAY DOWN YOUR THROAT AND TEAR OUT YOUR VERY SOUL, YOU SCUM-SUCKING FRUIT BASKET!"

"AH!" Nicole cowered, "TAKE IT EASY! IT'S JUST A SHIRT! THERE IS NO BLU TEAM HERE! YOU'RE NOT AT THE FORTRESS! I'M STILL WITH YOU GUYS!"

Kyle grew silent. "My mistake there…it's a force of habit…" he mumbled.

Nicole shrugged. "It's okay, I understand…So…what do you guys want to do? I have about…oh, about five hours or so…"

"We haven't seen much of New York…Mind if we take a look around?" Bill suggested.

Nicole grinned. "Sure, why not? That sounds like a great idea if you guys are going to be staying here for a while."

* * *

"You see that over there? That's the Statue of Liberty." Nicole explained, pointing over at the magnificent statue, "You know what's so funny? I can't believe that nobody's staring at you guys…It's so weird…"

Most of the RED Team was in awe as they stood on the sidewalk, peering over at the Liberty Island far at the other side. The only ones that were indifferent were Kyle and Jake as they stood back and crossed their arms.

"Wicked!" Benny smirked. "I thought I would never see it!"

"Now that is a thing of beauty." Bill smiled, "Course it will never beat the Alamo, in my opinion, but it is still quite a sight."

Klaus shrugged. "Eh, not bad, I guess…"

Léon smirked. "Ah, just like its sister over at Paris…" he glanced over at Nicole, who was standing next to him. "Jou know, chéri, you and I could take a little trip over there and spend _quality_ time together…" he placed his arm around her shoulder. "Does that sound like a good idea?"

Nicole flinched. "Uhh…I don't know right now…" she shivered.

"Awww, don't be like that…Unless you have a _different_ plan in mind."

"I'm sorry, it's just that I'm a little busy right now…" Nicole said. She fought back the urge to shove the Spy's off from her and to punch him in the face for all that he had done to her.

Jake grinned. "It's cool, I guess…It hasn't changed in forty years, I see…"

Kyle only grumbled to himself, as if he was starting to grow impatient.

"Anything else you guys want to see?" Nicole asked, trying not to look at Léon.

"How 'bout the Empire State Building?" Jake suggested, "I always wanted to see it."

"But it's in the middle of town! It took us about an hour or so to get here! I live down south from here…the Empire State Building is like up north I think…right in the middle of Manhattan!"

The Scout frowned. "Settle down, Nicole, we got plenty of time, it's only noon."

"Yeah, and I only got three hours left!" Nicole added, "With traffic going on and just about everything else that's out there, we won't make it before my parents show up back at the house…and let me tell you something, they will panic if I am missing! I am not kidding!"

Jake scoffed. "Eesh, what kind of family do you have?"

"It's just me and my parents and no one else."

"I have seven brothers! Beat that, chuckle-nuts!"

"What are you, the youngest or something?" Nicole asked.

Jake frowned. "…Y-Yeah…what's it to ya, anyhow?"

"Alright you to, that's enough!" Léon snapped, gripping Nicole's shoulder, "I am tired of this childish game you two are playing."

Nicole squeaked and closed her mouth almost instantly, not wanted to make the Spy angrier.

The Scout rolled his eyes. "Fine, fine…whatever…"

"Don't git too worked up, Nikki," Bill said, "Everything will work out in the end. I promise."

Nicole smiled at the Engineer. "Thanks…So…how about we held over to Central Park?" she asked.

Jake nodded of approval. "Eh, that doesn't seem too bad." He smirked.

* * *

It was a peaceful afternoon in Central Park. Nobody was around where the RED Team was at, and everything seemed under control. Klaus was sitting on a bench reading his book, Nicole and Jake were tossing a baseball at each other, Léon stood by watching the two, Bolesalv was sitting by the Medic eating a sandwich, Kyle was polishing his shovel, Angus was drinking his bottle of scrumpy, Pyro was admiring the scenery, and the rest of the team were grouped up and talking amongst each other.

"Heads up!" Jake called, tossing the ball to Nicole.

Nicole caught the ball. "How's that?"

"Great, now toss it ova' here!"

Nicole threw the ball towards the Scout. "What do think of New York so far?"

"Meh, I don't know…" Jake shrugged as he caught the ball, "I'm from Boston, so I shouldn't care about this…but…I actually kind of like it here in the future and all…" he grinned.

"Huh, well that's cool!" Nicole smiled.

"Yo! Heads up, Nicole! Try to catch this!" Jake threw the ball into the air, and swung it with his bat. "BAT-A SWING!"

"HOLY CRAP!" Nicole dodged the ball, falling to the ground.

The Scout laughed. "You were supposed to catch it, not dodge it! What's the matter with ya?"

Nicole growled. "That ball was going too fast, dummy! How the heck was I supposed to catch it?!"

Jake scoffed. "I dunno, actually try to catch it?"

Nicole got back up and walked over to the ball. "Alright, alright…" she picked up the ball. "I'll remember that…" she smirked at the Scout, "If you can catch me." She took off in a dash.

"Aw! Hey! C'mon, man!" Jake frowned, chasing after Nicole. "This was supposed to be a game a catch, not a game of keep-a-way!"

Nicole laughed as she ran faster. "Why not shake things up a bit?"

Jake glared as he continued to push himself to run. "Get back over here, Nicole! I want my ball back!"

"If you want it, you have to catch me!" Nicole said, trying to stay ahead of the Scout.

"Freakin' unbelievable!" Jake snapped, "JUST GIVE ME THE FREAKIN' BALL NOW!"

"Not until you catch me!" Nicole ran across the park, holding the baseball tightly in her hand. She took a quick glance behind her, seeing if the Scout was behind her. But she tripped over a rock, causing her to fall flat on her stomach. The ball flew from her grip and rolled away on the grass.

"Darn it…Stupid rock!" Nicole muttered, she slowly rose and began looking for the ball. "Now…where is it?" She suddenly froze, feeling a gloved hand cover her mouth and another on her arm.

"If you don't mind, I would like for you to come with me…" The RED Spy whispered, standing right behind her. He had a firm grip on her arm.

Nicole moaned. She knew that she had no choice.

Léon dragged her off, taking her further away from the REDs Team's view. He stopped behind a tree. "Here is good…" he took his hand off from Nicole's mouth.

"What the heck do you want now?!" Nicole growled.

The Spy pinned her against the tree, gripping her shoulders. "Will tomorrow be a good time for me to come over at your place?" he asked quietly with a sneer.

"Uhh, I don't know! Let go of me!" Nicole demanded.

Léon snickered. "But I'm afraid that you will run away from me, and I don't want that. Now answer my question."

"But…I don't know! How should I know?! I mean, sometimes my parents go out on Sundays or they don't! It just depends!"

"No matter, I would love to come over and spend time with jou." Léon began stroking her cheek.

"Stop it!" Nicole growled, "I don't like that!"

"Stop what?" the Spy grinned mockingly.

"Stop touching me!"

Léon chuckled. "Don't be scared, I'm not going to hurt you…It won't be like last time." He traced Nicole's scar on her cheek.

Nicole flinched. She remembered the pain when the Spy slashed her across the cheek with his butterfly knife. Her heart pounded as she quivered in fear. "Please…no more…" she pleaded.

"I'm not doing anything." Léon said, "You're not bleeding or dying, are you?" he smirked.

Nicole whimpered. "You're scaring me!"

The RED Spy chuckled darkly. "Good."

"Hey, c'mon, man! Where's that ball?!" Jake called.

Léon pulled back. "I'll meet jou tomorrow…" he smirked as he disappeared into his cloak.

"No! Wait! Stop!" Nicole begged.

Nothing. The RED Spy was no where to be found.

Nicole sighed. "Darn it! I _hate_ him!" she growled before she felt a light tap on her shoulder.

"Yo! Hey! Over here, knucklehead! I'm talkin' to ya!"

Nicole looked over at the Scout. "Oh…Hey…"

"Where's my ball?" Jake demanded.

Nicole looked down in astonishment to see the baseball suddenly in her hand, as if an unknown force placed it there.

"_I'll be seeing you…hehehehe_…"

Nicole shivered upon hearing the RED Spy's voice call to her softly. "Uhhh…it's right here." She handed it over to Jake.

The Scout scoffed. "Are you gonna give up that easily? What's up with ya, Nicole?"

Nicole shrugged. "Eh, I'm tired of running…"

Jake took the ball. "Okay then, that's fine…I guess…But it's bit boring if ya ask me."

Nicole giggled. "I thought you'd say that."

"Do you wanna finish our game?" Jake asked.

Nicole pulled out her phone from the pocket of her jeans. She sighed as she looked at the time. "Aw man! Sorry, I gotta go. But I'll come over Monday."

The Scout frowned. "Why not tomorrow?"

"I think my parents are going to be staying home all day tomorrow…and I think they will not approve of me sneaking out of the house or having visitors they don't know of."

Jake shrugged. "Eh, okay. I'll see you later. I'll tell the other guys that you left."

Nicole smiled. "Thanks, Jake."

"No problem."

Nicole began headed out from the park, hoping to beat the clock and her parents back home.


	6. An Unexpected Visit

_Author's Note: It's time once again for the Anonymous Review Reply! :D_

_**Fire-Dragon10**- I loved it very much! :D I look forward to seeing more of your awesome fan-art! BTW, I saw some of your other TF2 art, and it's cool! I loved the Spy cats and your TentaSpy! :) I know, right? Poor Nicole can be easily spooked. Probably so, but I'm not quite sure. Thanks for the review. **Damien:** *purrs* Ahhh, I am very happy...Merci..._

_**Animed2Fox**- Why thank you! :D Awww, we'll see what happens with Nicole and the Scout. I remember seeing you on Deviantart! :) WE MUST PUSH LITTLE CART! XD_

_**Dr. Lightbulb**-Everyone wants to see that, I bet. XD RED Spy sneaking into Nicole's house...hmmm, that's a VERY BAD THING FOR NICOLE! XP You'll see what happens in this chapter. Thanks for the review!_

_As for the fan art. So far, I'm getting great results! :D Thanks to everyone that's participating. As for everyone else, all is welcome to put up fan-art if you guys want to! If you guys want a prompt, I'll give you one for the month: Damien the TentaSpy. Let me know if you're going to do it and I'll be more than happy to post the link onto my profile. If you don't want to do it, then that's fine too._

_And here's the next chapter! _

* * *

It was Sunday afternoon, and time was slower than usual. Nicole sat in her room quietly, reading a video game magazine. Both of her parents were asleep, Sally was curled into a ball on her lap, and the day was bright. Nothing seemed to be peculiar.

Nicole perked up and looked around upon hearing faint footsteps. "Uhh…hello?" she called.

There was no response.

Nicole shrugged. "I guess it's nothing." She muttered as she continued to read her magazine.

That's when the soft footsteps returned.

Nicole placed her magazine down. "Okay…now this is getting a little…odd. Sorry, Sally, but I have to get up now…" she apologized as she picked up her cat and put her aside. She stood up and headed for the door. "Are my parents awake?" she asked herself, opening the door. She quietly tip-toed towards her parents' room. The door was closed and Nicole assumed that both parents are still asleep.

"Wait a minute…didn't they fall asleep around five minutes ago?" Nicole asked herself. She flinched as she felt a cold rush of air. "Essh…is it cold in here…or is it just me…or…or…something else?"

The footsteps grew louder, as if someone or something was coming towards Nicole.

Her heart raced faster as she felt drips of ice cold sweat stream down the back of her neck. "Who's there?" she whimpered.

Sally zoomed passed her, running down the stairs as if in a panic.

"What's wrong with the cat?" Nicole asked herself, watching her cat race around the house. "She normally doesn't act like that unless she's provoked or something…" she shrugged. "Oh well, it must have been a random shadow or something…"

_Pssst…_

Nicole jumped. "W-Who's there?!"

Silence.

Nicole frowned, crossing her arms. "What's wrong with me?! Am I imagining all this?! My house can't be haunted at all!"

"I had no idea that you believed in ghosts, ma cher."

Nicole whipped around and almost screamed to see the RED Spy right behind her. "WHAT THE-?!" she snapped, backing up against the wall.

"Shhh…" Léon placed a finger up to Nicole's lips. "Let's not disturb anyone."

Nicole's heart skipped a beat. "What…the…heck…are you…doing here?"

The RED Spy smirked, pulling back his hand. "I told jou that I would meet you here for our little time together…"

Nicole turned pale. "I thought I told you not to come!"

Léon shrugged. "Well, it's too late now. So show me to your room, if you please."

Nicole stiffened, too afraid to move a muscle. She slowly shook her head.

"Oh? Do I have to…motivate you again?" he took out his butterfly knife.

Nicole shook her head again, only to stare at the knife horrifically as the RED Spy unfolded it.

"Then what's the problem?" Léon asked, frowning at her.

Nicole sighed. "Well…it's just that…my parents are here…in the building…"

"Are they in there?" he asked, pointed at the door behind him.

Nicole nodded. "Y-Yeah…but they're sleeping."

"I 'ad the feeling that they were."

"Please," Nicole begged, "Just get out of here! Do the REDs know that you're gone?!"

Léon smirked. "I told them that I was out running errands."

Nicole frowned. "You're a terrible man!"

The Spy grabbed her by the arm. "Show me to your room, now!" he commanded.

Nicole shook her head, tears streaming down her face. "No! You can't make me!"

"I believe I can…and I will!" Leon hissed in Nicole's ear.

Nicole whimpered. "Stop it! Let go of me!"

That's when the both of them grew silent as they heard soft footsteps coming from the parents' room.

Nicole gasped. "Oh, crap! That's my parents! You woke them up, stupid!" she began heading towards her room, with the Spy behind her. "This way! Hurry! I don't want them seeing you!"

"Now, now, let's not get pushy." Léon teased with a sneer.

Nicole groaned, pushing Léon into her room. "Get in there and hide, you idiot!"

The Spy said nothing, only to smirk at her. He entered her room, glancing around. "Hmm…I expected jour room to be a bit bigger than this…"

"Just shut up and go hide in the closet or something!" Nicole snapped, forcefully guiding Léon to the closet.

"Nikki?" Mr. Anderson called, "Nikki? Is that you?"

Nicole bit her lower lip in anxiety. "Get in! Get in!" she shoved Leon into the closet and shut both doors. "Now don't do anything stupid in there, you half-minded fiend!" she growled softly.

That's when Mr. Anderson opened Nicole's door. "Nikki? What's going on? What's with all the racket?"

Nicole turned to her father and smiled weakly. "Uhhh….nothing at all. I was just…erm…organizing my closet."

"Why are you standing in front of the closet like that? It's like you're trying to hide something in there."

Nicole laughed nervously. "Me?! Trying to hide something? Are you serious?! Why would I hide something for you?"

Mr. Anderson's eyebrow arched. "What's in the closet?"

"Nothing…"

The father came up to Nicole, crossing his arms and waiting for her to move out of the way. "What's in there?"

"Nothing…" Nicole sheepishly smiled, "Just…stuff…"

"Come on, move out of the way, or you're going to be in more serious trouble." Mr. Anderson gave Nicole a stern look.

Nicole sighed. "Alright, alright…fine." She stepped over to the side and away from the doors.

Mr. Anderson nodded of approval. "That's much better." He approached the doors and opened both of them.

In the closet were just clothes hanging on the racks and the laundry basket underneath. Everything seemed perfect fine and ordinary. But it took Nicole by surprise.

"Well," Mr. Anderson chuckled, "it's seems you organized your closet a bit."

Nicole laughed weakly. "Surprise…I did a bit of cleaning, you know…while you and Mom were asleep…"

"Well, that's good, I was going to tell you do it anyway. I'm headin' back to bed now…" he said, sluggishly heading out of the room.

"Yeah, you go ahead and do that…you need plenty of sleep for tomorrow…You know, with the busy day and job and all."

Mr. Anderson quietly closed the door behind him, not looking back.

Nicole waited for a moment, before dashing off to the closet again. "What the heck?! Where did he go?! Darn it! Well, at least he hid…and pretty clever of him to use that cloak, I almost forgot about it."

"I have to admit that jou are a foolish girl."

Nicole yelped in alarm as she turned around to see Léon standing right behind her. "Geez, can you give me a warning next time you decide to pop up right behind me?!"

The RED Spy chuckled. "But there will be no fun in that." He teased.

Nicole shivered. "Man, you're creeping me out! Seriously! Can't you take a hint that I don't want you in here?!"

"Now as I think of it," Léon thought for a moment, "This may not be the best time…with your dimwitted parents 'ere…I'll come back." His hand reached out towards Nicole and gently grasped her chin. "You'll see."

Nicole felt her heart bang in her chest as she started to tremble. "No…don't…Leave me alone…"

Léon laughed evilly before disappearing. "_I'll see you real soon, chéri._"

Soon, it was silence and Nicole was left all alone. "Dang…I need to get a lock for my room…or maybe an entire freaking security system that _actually_ works!" she said to herself.


	7. A Tragic Love Story

_Author's Note: It's time once again for the Anonymous Review Reply!_

_**Fire-Dragon10**_- _Yes! Leon is a bad BAD RED Spy. XP You're welcome! YES! I WOULD LOVE ONE! :3 Ooh! You should do a Damien KittySpy! (Although he doesn't have to be a Tenta.) Well, the thing is...Nicole is TERRIFIED him. But who knows. I can't tell you much before the chapters themselves are posted. But I already have an idea of what would happen if Nicole tries to fight back. Thanks for the review! **Damien: **OOhhh, yesss...Perfect...hehehe... *snuggles back*_

_**Animed2Fox**- Hmmm, I haven't thought of that. But if Nicole would try to ask Engie, Engie would ask about it, and Leon would be very upset of Nicole explaining their past events and conflicts with each other. Yes, it was creepy. The RED Spy in this story LOVES being creepy...XP Thanks for the review._

_**Meep-** Yeah, about that. I'm trying my best to have Nicole to be NOT a Mary-Sue...But I'm slowly running out of ideas on how to not make it Mary-Sue-ish...XP So I'm trying my very best. It's okay, I forgive you. :) You're not being bad, you're just being honest, and I'm cool with that. Thanks for the review. **Damien: **Uhhh, why are you chewing on my tentacle? *suddenly starts purring* Ahh, it kind of feels good...in a way...But don't chew on it too hard._

_And here's the next chapter! Oh, and _The Raven _belongs to Edger Allan Poe (you'll see why I'm disclaiming this in this chapter)_

* * *

Nicole sat on the couch in the living room, quietly reading a novel. She was certain that it was going to be a regular Monday, and that there was going to be no more unexpected guests intruding into her home.

Just then, the front door opened. Nicole looked up to see who it was. She blinked in surprise. "Dad?"

Mr. Anderson walked in. "Hi, honey, are you doing okay?"

Nicole looked over at the wall clock perched on the wall. "Uhhh…you're home _early_…It's not even passed noon yet…" she gave him a suspicious look. "Is there something wrong at work?"

"Nothing at all, sweetie." He smiled at her.

Nicole stood up, placing the book aside. "That's what worries me…._Dad_…" she said, approaching her father cautiously, "I've never seen you come home early…_ever_."

Mr. Anderson laughed. "That's because you're usually at school."

Nicole frowned. "Uhh, even if I was staying home during a holiday, you and Mom come home late…all the time." She turned away from him, her back facing him. "It's just not right…"

Suddenly, Nicole froze as she felt something slippery coil around her waist. "No…it…can't be…" she gasped.

"But of course it is, ma chéri, who else do you think it is? Do you know anyone who is half man, half octopus around 'ere? No, I don't think so…_Hehehehe_…"

Nicole turned around to see Damien not too far away behind her. "How the heck did you find my house?! And how did you pull that off?! I had no idea that you could disguise yourself as my dad, who happens to be _fully_ human!"

The TentaSpy laughed. "But of course I can." He held up the paper mask with the picture of Nicole's father. "Have you forgotten that I am also a Spy?" he placed the paper mask in his disguise kit and put it away.

Nicole sighed. "Well, I guess so…since you scared me…" she looked down at the black tentacle that was around her waist. "Now can you please let me go?"

Damien sneered as he pulled Nicole closer to him. "What do jou think I am going to do? Hurt you? Ha! You must be out of your mind."

Nicole grimaced, looking at his golden, reptilian eyes. "Uhhh…m-maybe a little." She started to quiver in fear.

"Awww, there, there, it's alright. I'm not going to hurt jou." Damien whispered. One of his tentacles reached out and cupped under Nicole's chin. Two more wrapped around her chest. "My dear sweet child, I would never…_ever_ harm you in any way. You must trust me, understand?"

Nicole nodded, still frozen and terrified.

"It's okay, I'm a good friend." Damien placed his around her shoulders and guided her towards the living room. "I know jou, and you know me. So that makes us friends, no?" he smiled at her, showing off his blade-like teeth.

Nicole grinned sheepishly, trying not to panic at the sight of his razor-sharp teeth. "Uh, y-y-yeah…We're friends…"

Damien nodded of satisfaction. "That's good."

"So…um, how are the kids?" Nicole asked, changing the subject.

"They are just doing fine. I just hope they are behaving."

Nicole gave the TentaSpy a peculiar look. "You actually think it's okay to just leave you kids by _themselves_?"

Damien nodded. "Of course. My children are smart enough to stay put and well hidden. Although I'm hoping that they will not fight each other."

Nicole nodded. "I see…"

"Are you still wondering about their mother?" Damien asked quietly.

Nicole gasped. "Oh! Uhhh….ummm."

"I came 'ere to tell you, anyway." Damien said, frowning.

"Oh, well, c-can I get you anything?" Nicole offered, trying to pull away from the tentacles.

Damien shook his head. "Non, I'm good, merci." More tentacles snaked around Nicole's legs.

"Uh, well go on ahead and take a seat or something…" Nicole smiled weakly, trying not to show signs of panic or distress.

"Thank you, ma ami." Damien smiled, dragging Nicole along with him.

"It's okay, Damien…I can walk…" Nicole said with a frown.

The TentaSpy smirked as he sat down on the couch. "Too late." He sneered.

Nicole blushed of embarrassment, as she realized that she was sitting on Damien's lap once again. "Uhh…why am I-?"

"Not right now, ma petite squatine." Damien smiled, picking up the book with a tentacle and looked at it. "Hmm…you read…Edger Allan Poe?" he questioned, giving Nicole a peculiar look.

Nicole nodded. "Y-Yeah…it's great…you know?"

The tentacle held the book in front of Damien as he flipped through the pages. He noticed that one of the pages had a dog-ear fold in the corner. "Hmmm, _The Raven_?" he glanced over at Nicole again.

"Yep…one of my favorites…"

Damien chuckled as he began to read out loud. "_And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor shall be lifted - nevermore_!" he whispered the last word in Nicole's ear.

"Ehh-yah!" Nicole whimpered. "Stop that!"

Damien laughed. "Alright, alright…I'll tell jou about my story." He pulled Nicole closer to him, placing his arm around her shoulders. "I had decided to leave the Fortress sewers for a while not too long after jou left…and then I met…her…" he sighed with a smile on his face.

Nicole blinked. "Who?"

"Rose…Rose Flores…She was fairly beautiful…Long, blonde hair…smooth, soft skin to the touch…and gorgeous hazel eyes…Ahhh, she was the love of my life."

Nicole looked down at the tentacles that coiled around her. "Uhh, how the heck did you approach her if you're half octopus? Don't people usually freak out when they see something or someone like you?"

Damien frowned, glaring at her. "Didn't you see me disguised as your _own_ father?! I disguised myself as a _human_, you imbecile!"

Nicole squeaked in terror. "Eeep! I'm sorry! Please continue!"

Damien cleared his throat. "As I was saying, Rose and I got to know each other _very_ well...Ahh, such good times we had together…" more tentacles coiled around Nicole. "Mmm, I remember the whole thing like it was just yesterday…The lake…the walks…the love we had each other…"

"What…happened?" Nicole asked, still grimacing at the tentacles that were around her.

"It all started when I showed her who I truly was, 'oping that she would accept me who I was…She didn't, unfortunately…"

"Please don't tell me…you…r-r…r-ra-" Nicole was too afraid to bring up the word or even imagine the horrifying mental picture.

Damien nodded slowly. "I did…and it rather felt good…" an evil smile appeared on his face.

Nicole swallowed hard. "Uhhh…."

Damien glanced over at Nicole before clearing his throat. "Sorry, as I was saying, I had to keep her hostage after I did my…business with 'er, should I say…And then when she had my two sons several months later…she died soon afterwards of childbirth…"

"Awww…I'm sorry." Nicole patted Damien on the back, trying to comfort him.

The TentaSpy smiled weakly. "Merci…"

"What…happened then?" Nicole asked hesitantly.

"I…couldn't let my own children see or even know about their dead mother. So, I 'ad…to eat her…or at least most of her."

Nicole gasped in shock. "Oh my goodness…that's awful!"

"Then I 'ad to bury her in the lake…" Damien continued, "Soon afterwards…I took the children back to the sewer cave and raised them…They are such good children…"

A weak smile appeared on her face. "I…bet they are…"

"Oui…I've never seen them fight each other so far and they are quite obedient."

"That's always a good sign, right?"

Damien smiled. "Indeed it is…"

"And…at least you have them…right?"

"Oui, that is true. I don't know where I would be without them. And…" the TentaSpy glanced over at Nicole. "At least I have dear friends as well." He smiled at her.

Nicole blinked in astonishment. "Uhh…sure…that's a good thing too."

"You're a very good friend, you know that?" Damien asked, placing an arm around her shoulders.

Nicole flinched. "Thanks…?"

"I appreciate jou listening to me…It makes me feel much better." Damien's smile grew.

Nicole tried to hold back the urge to jump off from his lap and to scream and run back to her room. She instead nodded in response.

"I just wish I knew more…ehhh….humans like yourself. Jou are so very kind-'earted and so very, _very_ sweet." One of Damien's tentacles cupped under Nicole's chin. "Ahh, your skin…so soft…and…so irresistible…"

Nicole gulped. "Uhh, you okay there, Damien?"

"If only I could…touch you and feel you all day long. That would be so pleasant and so relaxing…" Damien did not respond to Nicole's question. His golden, reptilian eyes stared deep into her amber ones. "If only I can taste you just one more time…"

"DAMIEN! SNAP OUT OF IT!" Nicole yelled in fear, "YOU'RE SCARING ME!"

Damien shook his head. "What? Oh!" he gasped as he pulled back his tentacle, the fleshy-pink suction cups made a popping sound as they detached themselves from Nicole's chin. "Apologizes, mademoiselle…I was lost in thought."

Nicole gave the TentaSpy a terrified look. "I can see that."

"I'm trying so very hard to control myself." Damien sighed, "But it's been so hard ever since I lost Rose…"

Nicole shrugged. "I understand…a little."

"Well then, I must be heading off. My kids must be hungry by now…" Damien gently set Nicole aside and stood up. "Thank you for having me here."

Nicole smiled shyly. "No problem…You're welcome any time!"

Damien smiled back. "Merci."

"I guess I'll see you soon?" Nicole asked.

Damien nodded. "But of course." He disappeared in his invisible cloak. "_Au revoir__, ma petite squatine_…"

Soon, it was nothing but silence. Nicole sat there quietly as the awkward moment lingered. Finally, once she knew it was safe, she let out a heavy sigh. "Man…what the heck was I thinking? 'You're welcome anytime'?! Am I insane to say that to a mutant octopus Spy?! No! No! No! I can trust Damien…I can do it! Yeah! I know that he's capable of controlling himself…I hope…"


	8. Questions and Answers

_Author's Note: It's time once again for the Anonymous Review Reply! :D_

_**Fire-Dragon10- **Yes, poor poor Damien. ;__; I know right? The world is awful...except on Earth Day of course. XD Exactly, I fear...uh, Spies and TentaSpies. XP YAY! Thank you! :D LOL! Okay, I'll keep my KittySpy under control. Thanks for the review! **Damien: **Ahhh, I like this... *purrs*_

_**Animed2Fox**- YAY! Because nothing is exciting with out creepiness and romance. XD Hmm, I wish I could put an underground base...but how? It's New York, and I don't know how an underground base would fit under that city. XP But it was a good idea, I'll think about that idea. Thanks for the review! :)_

_**Meep-** You're welcome. :) It's okay. Don't feel bad about yourself, I think all reviews are good in my eye (as long as it doesn't say mean things). Jeremie is not creepy, but Leon and Damien are. They are creepy because I'm scared of them. O__O Thanks for the review!_

_Anyway, here's the next chapter...AND HAPPY EARTH DAY EVERYONE! :D_

* * *

Nicole and the RED Team were in the old factory, sitting together in a circle on chairs and conversing with each other on a bright noon. Jake was continually asking questions about the future technology and lifestyle.

"So it's just like that huh? You can have up to fifteen thousand channels on single television and it will high quality?!"

Nicole nodded. "Of course you can…but you have to pay for it every month or so…But still, I don't know the maximum number of channels you can have on a single HD TV, honestly."

"Wow! That is SOO cool!" the Scout smiled. "Okay, I have another question."

"Does it have to do with anything about an entertainment system?" Nicole questioned.

"Yeah it does! So, um, can you play games on a computer?"

Nicole sighed. "Yes…yes you can. Why do you think I have Left 4 Dead for the PC?"

"Can you do work on it too?"

"Of course you can…"

"What about the food here? Is it any good?"

Nicole frowned. "The food here is just as diverse as our technology, Jake. Now will you please let someone else ask a question?"

Jake scoffed. "Oh, come on, that was just about a few questions."

"No, I answered your questions for about an hour or so. All you asked about were the sports, cars, TVs, food, and computers…"

Jake grumbled, crossing his arms. "Fine! I'll shut up…" he pouted, "Are ya happy?!"

Nicole sighed. "Geez, Jake, I didn't mean it like that."

"Hey, Nikki!" Bill called, "Where do you go to school?"

"I go to Manchester High as a junior. I have one more year to go before I graduate. Why did you ask?" Nicole inquired.

The Engineer shrugged. "Just curious, that's all. Oh! And what are some of your hobbies you do?"

Nicole smiled. "Well, I'm in the school band. And I love to draw! Also I like to write some poetry and short stories if I'm bored enough."

The Engineer nodded. "That's neat. I didn't know you could play an instrument. What kind?"

"The clarinet. I've been playing on it for several years now."

"Maybe you and I can play a duet sometime. I have my guitar with me and we'll perform in front of the team. It'll be great." Bill beamed.

"Wow, you sure seem excited. I'll try to think of something for that." Nicole giggled.

"Vhat are your friends like here?" Klaus asked.

"Pretty random…I only have one good friend, and she's as crazy as…uh…I don't know…She's just crazy, let's just go with that."

"I 'ave one question." Léon said, "What songs do you play on your clarinet?" he asked, changing the subject.

Nicole paused and thought for a moment. "Well…I can't name them all right now. I obviously play stuff for school, but I also figured out how to play other songs I liked by ear…you know?"

The Spy sneered at her. "How very interesting."

Nicole gulped. "Uhh, y-yeah…Sure…" she felt a small chill as she glanced at Léon.

"Vhat are your favorite books?" Klaus asked.

Upon hearing the Medic's question, Nicole immediately looked away from Leon and turned to face Klaus. "I love to read mystery novels and dark poetry. It's not that I'm a creeper like that, it's just that that kind of stuff."

Bolesalv began laughing. "Little girl likes spooky books? HA HA HA!"

Nicole frowned. "What? Just because I'm a girl doesn't mean I like unicorns and happy endings! In fact, I _hate_ unicorns and stories with happy endings aren't as excited as stories that grip your attention with a terrible twist in the end or something like that."

"So what, are you like a pessimist or something?" Jake asked.

Nicole sighed. "No, Jake! I'm not a pessimist! I'm just saying that I have odd interests and think differently than everyone else!"

"Hey, hey, hey! Easy there, it's just a question…Sheesh! I had no idea that you were hot-headed." Jake said, trying to calm her down.

"Sorry, Jake…I didn't mean to snap at you. I just don't like it when people misjudge me like that, you know?"

"You're quite different from when we first met ya, Shelia." Benny commented, "I thought were nothin' but a timid, jumpy little Joey all the time. Now you're two times tougher than I remembered."

Nicole blinked in surprise. "Really? Because this is how I normally act when I'm at home. The way I was when I first met you guys…well, let's just say that it was very uncomfortable for me to be in an environment I didn't know and to be around men with…weapons and such."

The Sniper shrugged. "Eh, makes sense, I guess. Hey, Shelia! What are your parents like?" he asked.

"Well, my dad's a lawyer and my mom's a nurse. Both are busy all the time and we rarely spend time together as a family." Nicole answered, giving Benny a peculiar look.

"Oh, that's too bad…" Benny frowned.

"Nah, it's not that bad. If they weren't so busy all the time, I wouldn't spend time with you guys as easy. Plus, I like having the house to myself, with everything being quiet and all." Nicole gave the Sniper an assuring smile, letting him know that she was okay.

Benny smiled back. "Alright then, I guess it's not too bad…"

"Is there a war going on in your time, little maggot?" Kyle asked, raising his voice a little.

Nicole nodded slowly. "Yeah, the U.S. is up in Iraq. I have no idea what's going on up there though. I hardly watch the news at all. Heck, I don't even know what progress they're making, but at least I know good things are going to happen." She grinned slightly.

Pyro suddenly back muffling something to Nicole, waving his arms frantically.

Nicole stared blankly at the Pyro, confused on what he was trying to suggest. "Uhhh…I bet you're just very excited to be here, huh, Pyro?" she said, guessing on what he was trying to say.

Pyro muffled something again, only it sounded more annoyed.

Nicole rubbed the back of her neck of embarrassment. "Sorry, Pyro, but I have no idea what you're saying…"

Angus was far off in a corner, lying on the floor with his bottle in hand. "What drinks can we git 'round 'ere and all?" he asked, slurring some of his words.

"I don't know…I know there's a bar or something nearby if you want to go somewhere…"

"Ah, never him," Benny interrupted, "He's drunk again…_very_ drunk."

Nicole frowned. "I can see that very clearly…" she giggled a bit. "But that's the way he'll always be."

"I'M DRUNK, YOU DON'T HAVE AN EXCUSE!" the Demoman yelled, before passing out in a deep sleep.

"Yeah, uh, what the heck is wrong with Demo over there?" Jake scoffed, "Did he have too much again?"

"There's no such thing as 'too much' for Angus." Bill laughed.

That's when everyone started to laugh as well. Nicole then stood up and headed towards the front door. "Hey, guys I gotta get going."

"But the sun's still up. Is there somethin' wrong?" Jake asked.

Nicole shook her head. "Nah, I have some chores to do, you know? Plus, I have to check on Sally."

The Scout blinked. "Who?"

"Oh! She's my cat, and I have to take care of her, you know." Nicole opened the door. "I'll see you tomorrow, guys!"

"Bye, Nicole!" Everyone said, waving at her.

Nicole smiled and closed the door behind her.

* * *

"Ahh, where is that book? I need it so I can remember that one passage. It was so good." Nicole frantically looked around in her room, searching every nook and cranny on an afternoon. "Am I really sure that I even put that Edger Allan Poe poetry and short story book back?" she nodded. "Yeah! Of course I did…I'm sure of it!"

Nicole headed to the bookshelf, checking every book. "There's _Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde_…hmm, I still need to finish that, but I lost interest in it like four months ago. Why the heck do I have _Sherlock Holmes_ in here? Might have been Dad again giving me books he's already read." She sighed in annoyance. "That's got to be the thirteenth time he's done that, and I don't need any more hand-me-down books! And why am I looking for that book anyway?" Nicole looked over at her cat that was curled up on the bed.

Sally rolled on to her back, purring loudly and meowing.

"May be it's because I really am bored or something." Nicole shrugged, "Man I loved that part in that book because it's kind of freaky to even think about…But…why?"

"_It is impossible to say how first the idea entered my brain; but once conceived, it haunted me day and night. Object there was none. Passion there was none. I loved the old man. He had never wronged me. He had never given me insult_…"

Nicole jumped in alarm. "Who's there?!" she demanded.

"_For his gold I had no desire_," the voice continued to read, "_I think it was his eye! yes, it was this! He had the eye of a vulture—a pale blue eye, with a film over it. Whenever it fell upon me, my blood ran cold; and so by degrees—very gradually—I made up my mind to take the life of the old man, and thus rid myself of the eye forever…_"

Nicole looked over behind her and screamed to see the BLU Spy appear. "Holy crap!" she backed up against the wall, trying to catch her breath. "Can you give a hint next time when you decide to pop out from nowhere?!"

Jèrèmie laughed. "What's wrong? I'm just reading..." he was holding the very book Nicole had been searching for.

Nicole blinked in surprise. "Wait a minute…That's the _Tell-Tale Heart _section that you're reading from…and that's the part I was thinking about." She stared at Jeremie in surprise. "H-How did you know?"

Jèrèmie chuckled. "It's highlighted right here." He held up the open book to Nicole, showing the passage highlighted in yellow.

"Oh…that's a bit obvious." Nicole laughed weakly.

"Why do you like this part?" Jèrèmie asked, giving her a confused look.

"Well, when I first read this, it strangely gave me the chills. So I highlight it, just because it freaked me out a little. It's rather interesting once you think about it."

The BLU Spy placed the book back on the shelf. "I guess there are some things that I will never understand about you." He smirked.

Nicole frowned. "What? It just so happens that I appreciate that kind of stuff…N-Not that I am a dark person or anything. I just have a weird taste of literature."

"I have to ask you…Does that…'_vulture eye'_ remind jou of something?"

Nicole gave Jèrèmie a blank look. "Huh?"

"Do you know anyone that has that…certain look?" Jèrèmie rephrased the question.

Nicole stiffened as she imagined the RED Spy and his pale-blue eyes. She trembled a bit, remembering the cold feeling she had when staring into Léon's eyes. "Unfortunately…yes."

"It's him, isn't it?"

"Wha-?" Nicole glanced at Jèrèmie.

"That RED Spy…Is he still giving jou trouble?"

Nicole sighed as she nodded slowly. "Uh-Huh…and I'm scared." She approached the BLU Spy, putting her arms around him.

"Shh," Jèrèmie hushed, wrapping his arms around her, "It's alright. I'm here, and I'm not going to let him get jou."

Nicole smiled a bit. "Thank you…"

"I'll always be here to protect you, no matter what."

Nicole closed her eyes, feeling the comfort Jèrèmie was giving. "But I thought you couldn't interact with the REDs."

"True, but I'm not going to let anyone hurt you. I'm trying my best to keep you safe, but with the RED Team about, it just makes things harder for me…especially with that Spy and Pyro around."

Nicole remembered RED Pyro chasing after Jèrèmie when she reunited with the REDs after being kidnapped by Leon a second time back at the Fortress. "Oh yeah, I don't think Pyro's going to be any trouble…at least I'm hoping that."

"I 'ope so too." Jèrèmie agreed.

"So…uhh…" Nicole looked up at the BLU Spy. "Why did you come here?"

Jèrèmie smiled. "Too see you, of course."

Nicole blushed "Aww, you…"

Jèrèmie glanced over at the black cat on the bed. "Is that your chat?"

"My what?"

"Your cat."

Nicole smiled sheepishly. "Oh. Yeah, that's Sally. She's very sweet and lovable once you get to know her. But lately, she's been flipping out when the guys come over." She explained.

Jèrèmie pulled away from Nicole. "May I see her?" he asked.

Nicole shrugged her shoulders. "You can try…She's very shy around other people."

Jèrèmie nodded and came up to the bed. "Here, kitty, kitty, kitty. Come over here."

Sally lifted her head to see two arms of a stranger reach out towards her. She did not make a move, only to meow once at him.

"Careful, Jèr." Nicole warned.

Jèrèmie looked over at Nicole and smirked. "Don't worry, chéri, I know what I'm doing." He gently picked up Sally.

The cat simply limped in his arms, not struggling, hissing, or even twitching.

Nicole gasped in surprise. "Whoa…"

Jèrèmie smiled as he held Sally in his arms. "You act so surprised, ma cher. See? I knew she wouldn't be of any trouble." He stoked the cat's black and shiny fur. "Quite a sweet cat you have." He smiled.

Nicole blushed. "Aww, well…you know…I guess that my cat can be a bit…unpredictable sometimes."

Jèrèmie grinned as he placed the cat back down on the bed. "Apparently so…"

Nicole crossed her arms. "So…what do you want to do now?" she asked.

The BLU Spy shrugged. "Why don't we go downstairs and talk for a little while before your parents get 'ome?"

"That sounds…great!" Nicole agreed, "I guess there's nothing else to do, right?"

Jèrèmie placed his arm around her. "Shall we head down?"

Nicole sheepishly smiled. "Sure, why not?"

Jèrèmie opened the door and guided Nicole out. "So, what else do you like to read?" he asked with a smirk.

"Well…it depends on my mood, actually. But I like mostly dark-themed stuff because it just grips my attention the most." Nicole answered. She knew that this was going to lead to interesting conversations.


	9. The Terrible Walk of Doom

_Author's Note: Hi, guys! I'm so sorry that this was late. I've been very busy! But here's the Anonymous Review Reply!_

_**Fire-Dragon10:** Yes. Jeremie's kind of like a guardian angel. :D Medics can be scary if they want to...but I fear Spies the most. XP I LOVED THE TENTAKITTYSPY! HE'S SOOO CUTE! *squeals of delight* Thank you! Oh, can you do a favor for me? Can you do Damien (regluar) again? But make the picture a full-body portrait and have him with his suit on (I just want to see how you do it) If you want to do it, thank you! :) If not, that's okay with me too. I'm trying to put up my pics of Damien, but's it taking a while. Thanks for the review! **Damien: **I don't just like it...I love it. *snuggles back* This feels so good._

_**Animed2Fox**: Nah, he's not. But that would be pretty bad for Nicole. Hey! That sounds like a good idea. But New York is pretty jam-packed with buildings and sewer stuff (I think, but I'm not quite sure). But it is a good idea to concider on a future project of mine. Thanks for the review and idea. I appreciate it! :)_

**_Dr. Lightbulb: _**_Yes, Jeremie and Nicole are very good with each other. Hmm, we don't know if RED Spy is around or not. It will still remain a mystery until the plot thickens. :O Thanks for the review!_

_And now for all you artists out there, it's time for the Prompt of the month. If you choose to accept this, then that's cool. If you don't, then it's still okay. :) Okay, this month's prompt is: "Favorite Scenes". What was your favorite part in the series so far? What made you jump up and down on your chair and squeal in delight? What made your day just reading it? If you want to accept this prompt, please let me know so I can put the link onto my proflie. Oh, and if you still want to do previous prompts, you are more than welcome to do so._

_Okay, enough talking. Here's the next chapter! X3_

* * *

Nicole entered the old factory. "Hello?" she called, "It's me! Nicole! I'm here to visit for the day...again."

The Sniper noticed her entering. "G'day, Shelia!" he waved happily.

Nicole smiled and waved back. "Hey, Benny! How's it going?"

Benny shrugged. "Eh, nothin' much, mate. Oi, ya lookin' for anyone in particular?"

"Not really..." Nicole looked around at the empty factory. "Hey, where is the rest of the team?" she asked.

"Upstairs, I think they were talkin' about how we're goin' to get out into the streets like this." Benny answered.

"Ah, I see. So, what'cha doin' down here?"

"They're too noisy, so I wanted to come down here for peace and quiet, and I think Bill's workin' on something somewhere around here."

Nicole blinked. "Why are they talking up there about just going out in the city?" then she frowned, realizing the answer. "Ohh, I see…I guess people will stare if all of you are dressed like so and come from different parts of the world and all…and have no idea what twenty-first century stuff is like… Well, at least you don't carry you weapons around all the time…right?"

"Actually, we brought all of our weapons with us, Shelia." Benny smiled sheepishly.

Nicole glared. "What?!"

"Hey, in just in case, mate."

Nicole gave the Sniper a suspicious look. "In case of what?"

"In case something or someone was to attack us, chéri."

Nicole jumped in alarm as she turned to see Léon standing right behind her, with his butterfly knife at hand. "Léon!"

The RED Spy laughed. "So sorry there, but that never gets old."

Benny laughed too. "She's still got the spooks."

Nicole pouted and crossed her arms. "That's not funny guys!"

"Do jou mind if I take Nicole out for a moment or two?" Léon asked, placing his gloved hand on her shoulder.

A tiny squeak came from Nicole as she felt the Spy's touch.

"Eh, whatever mate." Benny replied, shrugging his shoulders.

Léon smiled. "Merci."

Nicole felt a chill down her spine. She knew that the RED Spy was up to no good. But she smiled it was no big deal, saying not a word.

Léon guided her out from the factory and led her out the door.

"Have fun, you two!" Benny waved, snickering.

Léon looked over at Benny and sneered before closing the door behind him.

"What the heck do you think you're doing?!" Nicole demanded.

Léon looked down at the girl and smiled evilly. "What do jou think I'm doing?"

Nicole gasped. "No! You're not kidnapping me again, are you?!" she tried to hurry back to the door. "HELP! I'M BEING KID-!"

Léon quickly covered her mouth. "Sssh! Let's not have everyone get the wrong idea." He hissed.

Nicole muffled in a panic. She tried to squirm out from the Spy's grip.

"Relax, ma chéri, I'm just going to take jou out for a little walk." Léon sneered, grabbing her by the shoulder and pulling back his hand from her mouth.

"Let go of me, you creep!" Nicole hissed.

"It won't be long, trust me. I'm not going to hurt jou at all." The Spy smirked, tightening his grip on her.

"No…I don't want this! I have to get going!" Nicole begged, trying to pull herself away, "I need to go home now!"

"Hmph! You're such a terrible liar!" Léon snorted, rolling his pale blue eyes, "Can we please just get along before someone gets hurt?" he gave Nicole a cold look, glaring at her.

Nicole gulped. "No! No! Don't hurt me!" she cowered.

Léon chuckled. "Then be a good little girl and walk with me."

Nicole shivered. "I'm going to die." She whispered to herself.

"What was that?!" Léon snapped.

"Uh, n-nothing…"

Léon gave Nicole a suspicious look as he guided her away. "So tell me, how are things been with you lately?" he asked.

Nicole hesitated, trying to come up with the right words to say. "Well…uh, e-everything's alright, nothing's been happening recently…you know?"

Léon nodded. "I see…"

Nicole shyly glanced up at the Spy. "W-Where are you taking me?" she asked.

"For the last time, it's just a walk. It's not like I'm going to 'old you hostage and keep you as my pet."

Nicole shivered at the thought. "Please don't."

Léon sighed. "Jou are too paranoid, my dear, I do believe that we need to fix that." A sickening smile appeared on his face as he looked back down at Nicole.

"I'm fine…Please don't…" Nicole whimpered, shivering.

"Aww, what's wrong? You're trembling…" Léon pulled his hand away from Nicole's shoulder. "Don't you worry…I'm here, there's nothing to worry about." His arm suddenly locked with her's and gently grabbed her hand.

Nicole's heart skipped a beat. "Uhh…can you-?"

"No!" Léon snapped, interrupting Nicole.

Nicole sighed as she was somewhat dragged by Léon. The walk on the sidewalk was very uncomfortable, especially with the Léon's arm around her's. The long silence made the moment even worse. She knew that she was going to be stuck with him for a while, forcibly walking alongside with him.

That's when she remembered walking with the BLU Spy several months before. She remembered how sweet the moment was being with someone that truly cared for her. She smiled, wishing that she could see Jèrèmie again.

Léon glanced down at Nicole. "What are jou thinking about?" he asked with a suspicious tone.

Nicole flinched, instantly frowning. "Uhhh, n-n-nothing?"

"Are you sure? It doesn't look it." Léon gave her a dark glare. "Tell me, what you are thinking right now."

Nicole shook her head. "N-No…I can't…"

"Tell me."

"I don't want too!"

Léon gripped Nicole's hand tightly. "Tell. Me. Now." He growled softly.

Nicole swallowed hard. "Okay! Okay! Okay! I'll talk! I'll talk! I-I-I was thinking about…rainbows!"

Léon's eyebrow arched. "What?"

"Yeah! Yeah!" Nicole nodded, trying to sound convincing, "I was thinking about how pretty rainbows are…?" she smiled innocently.

"What a strange girl jou are." Léon chuckled, "Our Scout doesn't like rainbows for some reason. It is so much fun messing with him about it."

Nicole smirked, surprised that her lie actually worked.

"Now tell me what you were really thinking." Léon said flatly.

Nicole's widened in horror. "W-W-What?"

"Ha! You thought that I would fall for that _pathetic_ lie? You're more childish than I thought." Léon snickered.

"Darn it!" Nicole pouted.

"Come on chéri, tell me what jou were thinking about." Leon demanded.

"I…just…can't…" Nicole shook her head nervously.

Léon glared. "Stubborn, I see. Well, I guess I have to try something else then." He sneered down at the girl.

Nicole frowned. "Uhhh, b-b-by what means?"

That's when Léon grabbed his butterfly knife, unfolding with one hand, and holding it up to Nicole's throat. "Jou know exactly what I mean, chéri."

Nicole sighed, worried for her own life. "Alright…I'll tell the truth. I was thinking about this…boyfriend I have."

"A boyfriend, jou say?" Léon's smile grew.

"Yeah…I'm just…you know…remembering the good times, you know?"

Léon folded the knife back up and put back into his suit pocket. "I see."

Nicole frowned again. "He and I broke up a long time ago."

"That is such a shame." Leon said, "What happened to 'im?"

Nicole paused for a while. "Uhhh…I don't know. I haven't seen him in a while."

"Hmm, very interesting…" The Spy said.

Nicole sighed quietly, hoping that she would convince Léon for sure. She looked away from the Spy, not wanting to start another conversation. But she knew for sure that it was going to be a long walk with the one man that first struck terror deep into her heart.


	10. Playing in the Rain

_Author's Note: Hello! I'm sorry...again for the late update. I'm out of my schedule right now and _somewhat_ suffering from Writer's Block, but I can promise you that everything will be back to normal soon. But now it's time for the Anonymous Review Reply!_

_**Fire-Dragon10**: Yep, that RED Spy is up to no good...and things are only going to get...eh, never mind, I don't want to spoil it for you. Leon has something planned for her...and he's not going to give up on it yet. I wish she could do that...but Nicole is so afraid of him, that she's too scared to even hurt him or even defend herself. XP But that would be awesome if she did that to him :D Yes! I love the TentaKittySpy, and he such a sweetie! :D Thanks! Don't worry, he's in good hands now. *pets TentaKittySpy* Thanks for the review! Oh, and let me know when you get the other drawing done, I would love to see it. **Damien:** Oui, I am a handsome rouge...and jou are such an angel...I like it. *nuzzles back* _

_**Animed2Fox**- Yes! The AGONY IS EVERYWHERE! Yes, Leon likes to mess up Nicole just to be mean...plus, he has a rather nasty plan in store. Aww! I liked that part too! :D If you want to draw that part, I'll be more than happy to post the link on my profile. But if not, that's okay too. :) Thanks for the review!_

And now here's the next chapter. (And I'm sorry it's SOO late) *hands out cookies*

* * *

Nicole sat at her desk, staring at the window nearby. She was completely dramatized and petrified from the day before when the RED Spy had taken her for a walk around the city. Although he did take her back to the factory, he kept asking her many questions about her life. She was so terrified from it, that she couldn't even sleep for several hours that night, fearing for Leon sneaking into her home again.

The rain pitter-pattered on the window, making a soft and somewhat musical sound. Nicole sighed, relieved to be home alone for the time being. Sally, her beloved cat, was curled up the bed and in a deep sleep. The cool afternoon seemed to be moving along slowly, but it was perfectly fine for Nicole as she relaxed. She slowly placed her head on the desk, slowly falling asleep.

Then, everything was interrupted with loud banging on the door. Nicole moaned. "Uhhh, now what?" she stood up and strolled out of her room and down stairs. She growled as she heard more banging at the door. "I'M COMING! KEEP YOU SHIRT ON!" She snapped as she headed to the door. She unlocked the door and opened it, surprised to see a familiar face.

"NICOLE! NICOLE! NICOLE!" Jake shouted, his arms waving frantically.

"Jake? What are you doing here?" Nicole asked, blinking in surprise, "And why are you ecstatic all of a sudden?"

"ARE YA BLIND OR SOMETHIN'?! IT'S FREAKIN' RAININ'! FINALLY! I HAVEN'T FELT RAIN IN A LONG TIME!" the excited Scout grabbed Nicole's arm.

"Wait! What?!" Nicole gasped.

"C'MON, KNUCKLEHEAD! THE ENITRE RED TEAM IS OUT IN THE PARK! LET'S GO!"

Nicole was yanked out from her house. She closed the door behind her before racing off with the Scout. "Why are you so excited about rain?" she asked.

"HELLO?! IS ANYBODY IN YOUR HEAD?!" Jake laughed, "IT'S RAININ'! IT'S RAININ'! IT FEELS SO FRAEKIN' GOOD! THE FORTRESS HAS NEVER RAINED AT ALL, OR AT LEAST I THINK IT HASN'T!"

Nicole smiled, giddy to see the Scout beaming with joy. She had never seen him so overjoyed over a little thing such as rain. "You do know that rain is quite common here, right?"

"YEAH! I DO, WHICH IS WHY I'M SO FREAKIN' HAPPY! C'MON! LET'S GO, LET'S GO!"

With the Scout's incredible speed, it didn't take long to get to Central Park. The RED Team were scattered about, enjoying what the rain had to offer. The only one missing from the team was the Spy, which was no big surprise to Nicole.

Jake stopped, allowing Nicole to catch her breath. "Geez, you're slow." He teased.

Nicole smirked. "Well sorry, I'm not a Scout, so I'm just a slow average person!"

The Scout rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah, yeah, whatever. C'mon! Let's play ball!"

"In the rain?" Nicole scoffed, "Are you serious? Don't you think that it's a bit too…uhh…cold and wet to play?"

Jake shook his head. "Nah, not in my book!" he took out his baseball bat and ball. "Batta' up!" he called, throwing the ball up in the air before hitting it with his bat.

Nicole focused on the ball as it flew towards her. She jumped in the air, hoping to catch it. With luck, the ball landed in her right hand. "HA! I got it!" she announced happily.

"Good job!" Jake smiled, giving her a 'thumbs up'.

"Now go get it!" Nicole smirked, throwing the ball over the Scout's head.

"Hey! No fair!" the Scout moaned, running after the ball.

Nicole laughed. "Good luck trying to get that ball!"

"HELLO, FRAULEIN!"

Nicole looked over her shoulder to see Klaus running towards her. "Hey, what's up?"

"Isn't vonderful?! I love the feeling of rain! I hadn't felt zis in a long time!" Klaus laughed.

Nicole smiled as she saw the Medic spinning around in circles. She knew it must have been very hot back at the Fortress, with very little rain at Badlands. "I understand, you've been working with the RED Team for how long?"

"Eh, for a few years or zo…"

Nicole nodded. "Ah, that's cool, that's cool."

"DOCTOR!" the Heavy came running towards the Medic.

"Ja, vhat is it, Boleslav?" Klaus asked.

"I FEEL ALIVE!" Boleslav cheered, "RAIN IS CREDIT TO TEAM!"

Both Klaus and Nicole laughed. "That's good, Kamerad!" the Medic grinned.

"YA DA DA DA DA DA!" The Heavy ran in circles around the two, singing loudly with pride and joy.

"OKTOBERFEST!" Klaus shouted.

"Hooray, rain…" Nicole cheered without any enthusiasm.

Boleslav instantly stopped and glared at Nicole. "WHAT'S THE MATTER WITH YOU?!" he demanded, picking up Nicole effortlessly. "YOU SHOULD BE HAPPY, LITTLE GIRL! WHY AREN'T YOU HAPPY?!"

"WAAAH!" Nicole panicked, "I'M SORRY! BUT IT RAINS HERE ALMOST ALL THE TIME! SO I DON'T FEEL AS EXCITED AS YOU GUYS!"

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN IT RAINS HERE ALL THE TIME?!" Boleslav shouted.

"IT'S NEW YORK! THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY! IT'S NOT LIKE THE FORTRESS!" Nicole explained, "NOW CAN YOU PUT ME DOWN?! I THINK I'M LOSING FEELING IN MY ARMS!"

The Heavy gently placed Nicole back down. "It…does?" he asked.

Nicole gave Boleslav a flat look. "Yes, Boleslav, it rains here almost all the time. I am not kidding you."

"You must be very lucky, fraulein," Klaus smiled at the girl, "The last time ve had rain vas back at Hydro, but zhat vas several years ago." He explained.

"Ah, I see. But it still makes me very happy that you're enjoying the rain while it lasts."

The Medic blinked. "Vhat do you mean 'vhile it lasts'?" he asked.

"Oh, I think it's going to snow next week or so." Nicole replied.

Klaus gasped. "VHAT?! SNOW?!"

Heavy cheered. "YES! SNOW!"

"SNOW?! SNOW?! WHO SAID THAT IT WAS GOING TO SNOW?!" the Scout came running to the group, giving Nicole an astonished look. "NICOLE, DID YOU SAY THAT IT WAS GOING TO SNOW?!"

Nicole nodded, giving Jake a worried look. "Uhhh, yeah, I did."

"WOO HOO HOOO!" Jake cheered, "FINALLY, SNOW! NOW THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKIN' ABOUT!"

"Man, how long have you guys had no rain or snow in the Fortress?" Nicole asked, "All of you are acting as if you've never seen any of them before."

"Vell, ve haven't seen any of them in a vhile…and fighting in the hot zun is not very pleasing for any of uz…except for ze Pyro."

Nicole noticed Pyro walking around, holding an open umbrella over him to keep himself dry. "I guess Pyro doesn't like water." She giggled.

"Nien." Klaus shook his head in agreement.

"Makes sense…" Nicole nodded in understanding.

Pyro began to muffle angrily, waving his fists about and keeping his umbrella over him.

"Don't vorry, Pyro, ve are not making fun of you…" the Medic grinned.

"Why is little man afraid of water?!" Boleslav snickered, "What's the matter with you?!"

Pyro growled, storming off and finding shelter under a tree.

Nicole laughed as she walked off. "I'll catch you guys later." She waved at them.

Klaus and Boleslav waved back, smiling at her before walking off and joining the rest of the Team.

Nicole passed over by a small pond, disturbed by the raindrops. She suddenly stopped, hearing a familiar voice calling to her.

"Mademoiselle…come over here."

Nicole stopped dead in her tracks. "W-Who's there?!"

"Over here, chéri…"

Nicole looked around frantically. "Where are you?!"

"Down here, petite squatine."

Nicole looked down and turned to see Damien in the pond and by the edge. "What are you doing here?! Don't you know you're out in the open while the RED Team is running about in the rain?!"

The TentaSpy sighed, rolling his golden eyes. "Relax, my dear, I'm not that stupid to sit 'ere in the open, I hide when it's necessary."

"Where are your kids?" Nicole asked.

As if on cue, both Dimitri and Seth popped out from the water beside their father. "Aunt Nikki! Aunt Nikki!" they cheered.

"Awww!" Nicole squealed in delight.

"The boys wanted to play outside for a while, and I thought this was the best condition." Damien explained, "Besides, I love it when it rains."

"Come play, Aunt Nikki!" Dimitri giggled, his little light-gray tentacles flailing about.

"The water's great, Aunt Nikki! Come in! Come in!" Seth begged as his darker gray tentacles splashing in the pond.

"Now, children, Aunt Nicole can't go in, she's only an air breather and I don't want rough playing with 'er and causing more trouble, so not right now."

"Awww…" both baby TentaSpies whined, "But Daddy, we won't be mean. We will be nice! We won't drown her. We love Aunt Nikki very, very much!"

Nicole's smile turned into an uncomfortable one. "Sorry guys, I…got to get going…I have uh, business to attend to, you know?"

"Ah, I see," Damien nodded in understanding. "Well then, we'll see jou real soon, chéri." He smiled, showing off his sharp teeth.

Nicole nodded back. "A-Alright, that's fine…Bye." She ran off from the park. She took one last glance, seeing Damien laughing as his two kids splashing water at each other.


	11. Bathtime Surprises

_Author's Note: Hi, guys! I AM SO SORRY I'M LATE AGAIN! MY REGULAR SCHEDULE IS OUT OF WHACK! XP But here's the Anonymous Review Reply!_

_**Fire-Dragon10:** LOL! The RED Spy is snoring! XD Sorry, I had to do that...I see you liked your cookies. :) A thunderstorm...Hmmm, that gives me an idea. That's okay, it's also this crammed schedule I have, it's insane! XP I HATE ARTIST BLOCK! I KNOW HOW YOU FEEL! YAY! Baby TentaSpies are cute playing in the rain. :3 Maybe, but Nicole needs to get her scuba lisense first. XD Yeah, the RED Team LOVES rain (expcept for the Pyro, and the Spy doesn't like getting his suit wet). Oh yeah, wait 'til you see them all in the snow. XD You're going to love it. Thanks for the review! **Damien: ***purrs* Ahhh, soo good...Merci..._

_**Animed2Fox: **Yeah, I wanted to put something fun, and rain was one of my pretty good ideas! :D OH NO! BAD SPYCRAB, BAD BAD! D8 At least it's not a TenatSpy. I saw that pic, do you want me to put the link on my profile? I'll be more than happy to. Thanks for the review! It's okay, I forgive you. I'm not a complete Grammar Nazi. (I spell things wrong all the time too. XD)_

**_F97Master of Saikyo: _**_That's okay. Yes, Damien did have kids. (I'll put up background story explaining EVERYTHING ABOUT DAMIEN once I finish this story). LOL! I like the Heavy because he's funny like that. :D Well, Pyro is Pryo, and I didn't want to take off his mask because that wouldn't be Pyro. (besides, I can't think of what he would look like without his mask. LOL) Thanks for the review._

_A note to my readers**: **I have unfortunate news...I won't be on FanFicition during this summer. It's not because of writer's block, it's because I'll be busy (and for other reasons I can't explain). But fear not, I **WILL** work on this story as much as I can. This story will not update in a while, but I **WILL** continue to work on it while I'm gone. (Unless I try to put up one more chapter before next week). I'm so sorry, but I did not plan for this to happen. ;_; I am very sad right now because of this...BUT I PROMISE TO GET THE CHAPTERS DONE!_

_And to **Namadu**, I did go over 1,704 words for the 100,000 challange...but it is over 100,000. :D Does it count? :3 (I wrote over 2000 for this chapter, not including the "Author's Note".)_

_But, anyway, plaese enjoy this next chapter. :) *hands out sandwhichs*_

* * *

Nicole headed towards the bathroom next to her room. She was in her fuzzy, black robe over a plain shirt and shorts. The silky black slippers she wore over her white socks slid across the carpet. Being drenched in rainwater and freezing, Nicole sighed. "I can't wait to take a freaking shower…"

A loud meow was heard as Nicole felt something furry rub against her legs. She looked down to see Sally nudging on her. "Hey, kitty, I'll be with you in a minute."

Sally purred softly before trotting off down the stairs.

Nicole laughed. "Such a strange cat…Ah, I love her, anyway…" she said to herself as she opened the door and headed in the small bathroom. Suddenly, she stopped.

The cream tiles on the wall shined from the ceiling lights. The wall mirror was over the counter. The tan-ish tiles on the floor were covered in puddles of water. Splashing could be heard from the other side of the curtains.

Nicole instantly knew that something was out of place. "Why the heck is the toilet lid up?" she sighed. "Never mind…that's not it…But what is going on in the tub?" she slowly made her way to the curtains and pulled them towards the right. "What the-?"

Two familiar faces looked up at Nicole, giggling. "Aunt Nikki!" Dimitri and Seth splashed each other with their hands and tiny tentacles. Both were completely shirtless, but still had their masks and gloves on like any other Spy.

"AWWWWW!" Nicole squealed, kneeling down next to the tub, "Hi, guys!"

"Have you come to play with us?" Dimitri asked.

"Come on, Aunt Nikki! We want to play with you!" Seth begged.

Nicole laughed. "Okay, but just for a little bit." She answered, sitting down next to the tub.

"Weee!" Seth squirmed about around Dimitri. "Aunt Nikki is playing with us! Aunt Nikki is playing with us!"

"Let's play tag! TAG!" Dimitri called as one of his little tentacles tapped Seth on the head lightly. "YOU'RE IT!"

Seth laughed. "Aww!" he looked over at Nicole. "Aunt Nikki…"

Nicole blinked. "What is it?"

A dark gray tentacle reached out towards Nicole and touched her arm. "TAG! You're it!" Seth giggled.

"Hey! No fair! You caught me off guard!" Nicole smiled.

"Ha ha! I tagged Aunt Nikki! I tagged Aunt Nikki!" Seth cheered, splashing water at Nicole.

"Hey! Cut it out!" Nicole laughed, putting the hands in front of her face to block the water, "I don't want to get wet!"

"Silly Aunt Nikki, you're playing with us!" Dimitri smiled.

"Play with us! Play! Play!" Seth squealed of delight.

Dimitri then splashed Nicole as well. "Play! Play! Play!"

The three all laughed, splashing each other and enjoying each other's company. Dimitri began playing with the shampoo bottle while Seth tossed a soap bar too and fro. Nicole watched the two tossing the objects at each other and swimming around in the tub.

"Hey, Seth." Nicole called, sneering at the baby TentaSpy.

"What is it, Aunt Nikki?" Seth came up to the edge of the tub, staring at Nicole with his bright red eyes.

Nicole reached out and tapped Seth on the head lightly with her finger. "Tag! You're it!" she laughed.

"Aww! You tagged me! You tagged me!" Seth giggled as he fell flat on his back in the bath water.

Nicole gasped. "Ah! Seth!" she quickly grabbed the little TentaSpy by the shoulders and lifted him up from the water. "Are you alright?" she panicked.

Seth blinked in confusion. "What's wrong Aunt Nikki?"

"Your head was underwater! You could have drowned!"

Seth frowned at Nicole. "Aunt Nikki…we breathe underwater."

Nicole pulled her hands back. "Oh…yeah, I forgot…Sorry, babysitter instincts. Why did I forget that?" She gave herself a face-palm.

Seth laughed. "Oh, Aunt Nikki, you're so funny! How could you forget that we breathe underwater as well as air?"

Dimitri giggled. "Silly Aunt Nikki!"

Nicole laughed weakly. "Yeah, I guess I am a bit silly. Why are you two here, anyway?" she asked.

"Daddy took us here and told us to stay in here until he comes back." Seth explained.

"Where is your father?" Nicole frowned.

Seth shrugged his small shoulders. "I dunno…"

Nicole stood up. "Well, you two kids stay here, I'll be right back."

Both baby TentaSpies nodded. "Okay, Aunt Nikki."

Nicole smiled as she left her bathroom and closed the door behind her. "Those two are so adorable." She headed down the hallway to her parents' room. "Good thing I can take a shower in the other bathroom."

Empty was the large room, with an unmade bed, tidy carpet, and clothes on the floor. Nicole stepped in, glancing from side to side. "Okay, I got to be by myself. I mean, it's obvious, isn't it?" she said to herself.

There was a closed door towards Nicole's left. She carefully made her way to it, knowing that everything else was perfectly normal. She opened the door, expecting nothing out of the ordinary.

The bathroom was much larger than her's, with a cream color all over the walls and tiled floor. A double-sink counter was over by Nicole's left with a giant rectangular mirror over it. A plush, red carpet sat right by the oval shaped, white marble tub.

But none of it shocked Nicole. Her eyes widened with shock as she noticed something in the foot and a half tall tub surrounded with lit scented candles. It was a familiar face, a face which Nicole didn't expect to see. She gasped as she realized who it was.

Two golden reptilian eyes glanced up at Nicole. "Ahh, bonjour, ma ami. Care to join me, my dear?" Damien smiled, revealing sharp teeth. He wore nothing but his mask and gloves.

In a heartbeat, Nicole slammed the door. She leaned against it, trying to catch her breath and hold back her scream. "Holy crap! That was freaking scary! He was freakin' naked! At least he wasn't Léon or any other perverted Spy! Wait a minute…What am I saying?"

"Awww, why do jou have to be like that?" Damien called from the other side of the door.

Nicole said nothing. Her face flushed into a bright red as the bare chest of the TentaSpy was implanted in her mind.

"Come on, chéri…You don't want to be _rude_ to jour guests now, do you?"

Nicole bit her lower lip. The guilt was growing. With a heavy sigh, Nicole opened the door.

"Hello, my dear," Damien greeted, nodding at the girl, "it's so good to see you again so soon." Lit scented candles surrounded Damien and the water was covered in bubbles.

"Damien…why are you in my parents' bathtub?" Nicole asked, "More importantly…why are you taking…a bubble bath?"

The TentaSpy chuckled. "Come over here and sit by me."

Nicole's eyes widened, fearing and imagining the worst. "W-W-Wha-?"

One of Damien's tentacles slithered out from the tub and patted on the red rug nearby. "I mean sit right over 'ere besides me."

Nicole swallowed hard. "Um…o-okay…" she knew her face was a bright red. Step by step, she made her way towards the tub and sat down on the rug. She smiled in a friendly matter at Damien, hoping to not show any sign of discomfort. "Uh, hi…" she said.

"Hello, there." Damien smiled, lit cigarette dangling from his mouth. Some of his tentacles were rearranging the candles and moving the ones between the TentaSpy and Nicole out of the way.

"So…uh…why did you come here?" Nicole asked.

"The pond we were in was getting too cold. So I decided to take my sons to your house. While I put them in your bathroom, I decided to relax in here and have some time by myself."

Nicole nodded. "Yeah, I noticed..." She tried not to stare at his chest. She was quite surprised to see how actually muscular and fit he was.

But that's when she looked down, and was quite shocked to see what she saw. Down at his waist was where the black octopus half started. It looked as if it was torn from a creature and stitched onto his body. Horrified, Nicole looked away.

Damien blinked in surprise. "Hmm? What is wrong, ma squatine?" he questioned.

Nicole shook her head. "Oh, it's nothing…"

"And…jou're blushing?"

Nicole gasped. "I-I-I am?" she said, trying to deny the fact.

That's when the TentaSpy laughed. "You don't think that my tentacles are truly real, do you?"

Nicole gave Damien a terrified look. "Well," she cleared her throat, "I-I-I don't know if that's the right way to put it or not…B-But…"

"Shhh…" a tentacle reached out towards Nicole and pressed against her lips, instantly silencing her. "It's okay, I know you're curious to find out."

Nicole felt ice-cold sweat steaming down the back of her neck. She tried to breathe slowly and calmly.

The tentacle pulled away and slipped into the bubbly bathwater. Damien sighed. "Here, give me jour hand."

Nicole's expression turned from terror to complete confusion. "Huh?"

Damien held out his gloved hand. "Just take my hand, there's nothing to worry about."

Nicole nodded. "O-Okay." Reluctantly, she took his hand, but she tried to pull back. "Wait!" she felt the claws digging into her skin.

Damien refused to let go. "Sh, sh, sh! Don't be afraid, chéri, I'm not going to hurt you."

Nicole took in a deep breath. She nodded without saying a word.

Damien pulled her hand closer to him and towards his waist. He placed her hand gently on his stomach. "Feel it, chéri, my octopus-half is real."

Nicole felt her heart race, as her hand rubbed across from one half to the other. The human skin was rough and sleek, while the slick octopus-half was very smooth, almost rubber-like, and slippery, and there were no stitches that kept the two halves together. It was perfectly natural.

Nicole flinched as she felt Damien's other hand on top of hers. She gave the TentaSpy a frightened look.

"There, see now? It's all natural." Damien said, smiling at her. His eyes were teal and human-like and looking so relaxed.

Nicole's face was bright red as she noticed the new eye color. She didn't know what to say as her mind went blank.

"Don't be frightened, my dear, I'm not going to hurt jou." The TentaSpy reminded.

Nicole took in some deep breaths, trying to calm herself down.

"Still not convinced?"

Nicole only gave Damien a terrified look without saying a word.

Damien only shrugged. "Hm, very well…"

Nicole couldn't tell if twenty seconds or twenty minutes had passed, she was just senseless. Her hand was brushed from the human skin to the slippery octopus-half as Damien's hand guided it. The silence made her feel more awkward than before.

"Chéri?" Damien finally spoke, "Are jou alright?"

Nicole glanced over at Damien, nodding slowly.

Damien took Nicole's hand and pushed it away gently. "Now do you believe me?"

Again, Nicole nodded, putting her hand, which was now wet and somewhat slimy, to her side.

"Ah, very good…I'm sorry it lasted longer than I 'oped." Damien sheepishly smiled.

Nicole weakly smiled back. "That's…okay…It didn't hurt or anything…"

"What am I trying to tell you, chéri? I promise that I would never hurt you. I am a man of honor, a saint, you can say." Damien chuckled.

Nicole frowned. "Uhhh….sure…?"

"So there really shouldn't be anything to worry about, my dear." Damien added.

Nicole shrugged. "I…guess…" she looked into his eyes.

But there weren't teal, they were once again golden and had the reptile look. Damien smile revealed the sharp teeth.

Nicole felt her entire body froze. She couldn't feel her arms or legs, and she lost her train of thought as she was locked in the stare.

Damien blinked. "Are jou alright? Chéri?" he waved his hand in front of Nicole's face in hopes of getting a response from her. "Chéri?"

"Huh?" Nicole shook her head and looked at Damien. "Sorry…I sort of spaced out."

"It's alright," Damien laughed, taking the cigarette out and tapping it lightly with his finger, "I was just worried, that's all. And why would you be wearing a robe at this time?" he questioned.

"Uhh, I…just am…" Nicole answered, hoping not to go into further detail.

"Are jou sure that's a smart thing to do?" Damien smirked, as a tentacle reached out and tugged at the robe.

Nicole flinched. "What are you doing?" she demanded.

"Nothing…" Damien's tentacle slipped in the robe, feeling the shirt she was wearing. "Hmm? What is this? You're wearing clothes underneath? Don't jou think that's a bit odd? I thought you were going to take a bath or something…"

Nicole instantly pulled away and scooted back. "What's wrong with you?" she whimpered, blushing again.

Damien frowned. "I wasn't going to go any further in there…"

"But…seriously…you were scaring me again!"

Damien placed the cigarette back in his mouth. "So sorry, I was just…curious." He smiled. "Well, it seems that I better get going…" he unplugged the drainage with one of his tentacles before he rose.

Nicole instantly stood up, not wanting to look up at the bare TentaSpy. Her heart hammered in her chest wildly. "Okay, that's fine. I-It's no trouble at all…"

Damien smiled as he grabbed a white towel hanging nearby. "I'm sure the boys do not want to leave so soon."

"Yeah, you know how kids are." Nicole grinned.

Damien wrapped the towel around himself. "Do you mind grabbing my suit for me?" he pointed at the door. "It's hanging over on the door handle."

Nicole nodded. "Sure." She headed to the door, grabbed the suit in the hanger, and returned to the TentaSpy.

Damien took the suit and flung it over his shoulder. "Merci, and thank you for having us 'ere again."

Nicole shrugged her shoulders. "It's no problem at all." She sniffed the air, "What's that smell? It smells like fruit and vanilla..."

Damien smirked. "Why that's the candles I lit, plus I used a cherry-pomegranate scented soap for the bubble bath." One of his tentacles reached out to Nicole and wrapped around her waist.

Nicole flinched. "Wait! What are you doing?"

Damien said nothing, but pulled Nicole closer to him. He leaned towards her, smelling her. His head pressed against her's, taking in a deep breath through his nose.

Nicole, on the other hand, stiffened, a chill ran down her spine, feeling very uncomfortable of the situation.

Damien pulled back, smiling at Nicole. "You smell wet…just wet."

Nicole frowned. "Why the heck did you just smell me?"

Damien shrugged. "I am a curious man, my dear, sometimes I can't help myself." Another tentacle coiled around Nicole's neck.

Nicole held her breath, terrified of the situation she was in. But she only shrugged.

"You don't mind if I borrow this towel for a while, do you?" Damien asked, "I will bring it back soon."

Nicole nodded. "Okay, that's fine…"

"Oh, and by the way…I think jou might need this." Damien sneered as he held up the bottle of soap to Nicole with one of his tentacles.

Nicole frowned. "Oh…uh…thanks?" she reluctantly took the bottle.

"I'll see jou soon, my dear." Damien smiled, disappearing in his cloak.

Nicole sighed. "Whoa…I have no idea what to say right now…" she stood there for a while, glancing around in the bathroom. She sighed. "You're still in here, aren't you, Damien?" she asked out loud.

A faint laugh responded. "_Jou're better than I thought…I suppose you're used to a Spy's presence, no?_" the door opened on 'it's own'. "_Au revoir_, _chéri…_"

Once she felt that she was completely alone, Nicole glanced at the bottle Damien had handed to her. Only one ultimate question spiraled around in her mind. "Why does Damien like cherry and pomegranate scents?"


	12. A Stormy Night

_Author's Note: Ah ha! I did it! This will be the last update before I disappear for the summer. But here is the Anonymous Review Reply:_

_**Animed2Fox**- YEp, and it only gets weirder from there. She does? That's great! Thanks for the review! **Damien:** *smiles* Merci, ma cher. And you're absolutely beautiful..._

**_Fire-Dragon10: _**_Yep...and that's not the worst of it. Same here, I'd probably pass out or something. XP Thanks! You have a good summer too! :D Thanks for the review!_**_ Damien: _**_*purrs* That's right, keep going, my dear._

_Anyway, here's the next chapter! :D Enjoy!_

* * *

Stormy was the night outside, as Nicole sat in her bed, reading a Stephen King novel. A lamp on the night stand near by shined for her to see the words on each page. A flash of light out in the window caught her attention, and then a loud boom made her jump in alarm.

"Wow, what a thunderstorm…" Nicole said, smiling to herself as she continued to read her book. She wore a simple spaghetti-strapped white shirt with black plaid slacks and white socks, her usual pajama attire.

Suddenly, the power went off. Nicole sighed as she saw the lights go off in a split second. "Darn! I was almost done with that book too!" she tossed the book aside in frustration, "C'mon! How long has it been raining? It's been hours!"

"_Looks like someone is losing their calm_…"

Nicole's heart skipped a beat. "W-Who's there?" she weakly demanded.

"_Shouldn't jou know by now_?"

Nicole thought for a moment. "Spy?"

"_Very good_."

"Y-You're not Léon…are you?" Nicole swallowed hard, terrified of the image of the RED Spy in the darkness of her room.

No answer.

"Awww, come on! Can you just tell me which one are you?" Nicole looked around in the dark room. "I can't see a thing and I'm starting to freak out!"

"_Relax, ch__é__ri…I'm not going to hurt jou_."

Nicole sighed. "I-I know…but…still…I don't know if your RED or BLU."

"_Well, to tell jou the truth_…"

A few seconds of silence later, and Nicole's left eye was starting to twitch. "Which one?"

"_I am…RED_."

Nicole's heart skipped a beat. "Eeep!" she quickly cowered under the covered and curled into a ball. "Go away! I don't want you here, creep!"

"_Hehehehehe…I'm going to get jou, ch__é__ri_…"

Nicole gasped as she heard footsteps approaching. "No! No! Leave me alone!"

"_I'm coming closer_…"

"Please, get away from me!"

"_Almost there, ma ch__é__ri_…"

"No! No! No!"

Silence.

Nicole took staggered breaths, trembling of fright. Suddenly, she gasped and screamed into her pillow as she felt hands grabbed her.

"Ha ha ha ha!"

"Stop it! Stop it! Stop it!" Nicole begged, tossing and turning. "I want to keep my virginity!"

Just then, Nicole didn't feel the hands on her anymore. "…Chéri…I wasn't going to go that far…"

Nicole blinked in surprise. "Huh…?" she poked her head out from under the covers. "What do you-? Oh! You!" she frowned.

Although she could barely see in the dark, Nicole recognized the Spy as Jèrèmie. He laughed as he sat down next to her. "So sorry, ma chéri, but even I couldn't help but scare you."

Nicole sat up, glaring at the BLU Spy. "What…is…your…problem?" she growled, "That scared the living crap out of me! I almost had a heart attack."

Jèrèmie chuckled. "Sorry…" he smiled sheepishly.

"Can you at least be nicer about it?" Nicole asked.

Jèrèmie nodded. "But of course, ma ami." Just then, he took out his disguise kit and opened it, taking out a paper mask.

Nicole gave the BLU Spy a confused look. "What are you doing?" she asked.

Jèrèmie smirked before putting the mask up to his face. A blue smoke surrounded him as his appearance changed.

Nicole's expression turned from confusion to complete terror as she realized what he was disguised as.

Jèrèmie, disguised as the RED Spy, sneered at Nicole. "Bonjour, ma chéri, are jou getting scared?"

Nicole squeaked in fright as she ducked and hide her face in her hands, still sitting up. "Ack! Jèrèmie! This is not funny! Quit that!"

"Awww, what's wrong? Is the thunder frightening jou?"

"Jèrèmie! Come on! I'm serious! You know that's not the best kind of joke to do right now!" Nicole growled.

"I'm going to get jou!"

"Come on, man! This is not cool!"

"You're too tense, my dear, I think we need to fix that little problem of jours."

Nicole flinched as she felt hands on her shoulders. "Hey! Cut that out! What are you trying to do, anyhow?"

"Ssshh, jou need to relax, chéri, just take in a deep breath…"

Nicole pulled her hands down and gave the Spy a peculiar look. "Seriously…you're confusing me…What are you really trying to do?"

Jèrèmie's disguise was removed and his hands away from her. "Hm? Oh, it's nothing really…I'm just 'ere for jou."

Nicole grinned. "Thanks…I guess…" she looked over at the flashes of lightening at the window. "But…I'm not scared of lightning or thunders."

Jèrèmie frowned. "Is it something else?" he asked.

Nicole shrugged. "Nothing to talk about…I guess."

"Come on, there is something that frightens jou, isn't there?"

Nicole gave the BLU Spy a flattened look. She shook her head lightly.

Jèrèmie smirked. "Lying isn't going to do you any good, chéri, you have to tell me."

Nicole remained silent.

Jèrèmie sighed. "It's him, isn't it?"

"Huh?" Nicole looked up at Jèrèmie. "What do you mean?"

"I'm talking about that dastardly RED Spy. He's causing you so much suffering and it's quite unfortunate that I can't do anything to help jou…" he sighed.

Nicole nodded. "It's not your fault, Jèr. I'm terrified of him, you know? He threatens me, he does things I'm uncomfortable with, and I can't escape from him…"

Jèrèmie placed his arm around her. "It's okay, I'm not going to let him hurt you."

"But…I thought you couldn't interfere, it would ruin your secrecy." Nicole said.

"I know, but it would be worth it as I save your life." Jèrèmie smiled.

"Aww, thanks." Nicole sheepishly smiled back. "You're making me feel special…"

The BLU Spy chuckled. "That's because jou are special to moi."

Nicole blushed as she looked up at Jèrèmie. She felt her lower quivering. "Sorry you have to see me in my PJ's." she croaked.

Jèrèmie laughed quietly. "There's nothing to be ashamed of, I'm not going to make fun of jou."

Nicole nodded. "Thanks, I _really_ appreciate that."

Jèrèmie nodded back. "Jou're welcome."

Nicole smiled, happy to have friendly company. "You know, I'm glad you're here. Even though you snuck into my house somehow without me or my parents knowing, I'm…happy."

"That's good," Jèrèmie said, "I'm just glad jou're not scared or anything."

"Yeah," Nicole looked up at Jèrèmie. "Hey, why did you come here, anyhow?"

The BLU Spy gave her a reassuring look. "I came because I wanted to make sure that I'm always here for jou, no matter what. Plus, I was worried that the storm was…discomforting you, should I say."

Nicole scoffed. "Come on, storms are nothing anymore. I'm not a little kid, I'm in high school."

"But you're still quite young."  
Nicole frowned. "Yeah, I know…"

"And it's not the just the storm that I'm concerned about." Jèrèmie sighed, turning serious.

"You're worried that Léon could have snuck in here too, huh?" Nicole guessed, giving the Spy a worried look.

Jèrèmie slowly nodded. "Oui."

Nicole took in a deep breath. "I'm worried too…"  
Jèrèmie gently patted her head. "It's alright, I'm 'ere to protect you, chéri, I'm not going to let that _fool_ harm you."

"Thanks, Jèrèmie…I l-l-l-l…"

"Hm?" Jèrèmie looked over at Nicole.

"L-l-l-l-l-l-l…" Nicole hesitated.

"Is there something wrong?" Jèrèmie asked.

"I…I…l-l-l-like you." Nicole smiled innocently.

Jèrèmie frowned. "Where did that come from?"

"I'm just saying…I like you, you're really sweet and you're always nice to me…" Nicole hugged the BLU Spy.

"Oh, uh…I like you too." Jèrèmie hugged back.

Another thunder roared, making Nicole hug tighter.

"Ah, so it is the thunder that startles jou, no?" Jèrèmie teased.

Nicole frowned. "No…" she pulled away. "Stop making fun of me!"

"I'm not making fun of jou…I'm teasing jou." The Spy smirked, "It's not the same thing."

"Come on!" Nicole pouted, "Quit teasing me!"

"Be jou're so easy to mess with, it cannot be helped."

Nicole sighed, "Well, I suppose…"

Jèrèmie pulled away from the girl and stood up. "Don't worry about it, I'm always still here for you."

Nicole smiled. "Again, thank you."

Suddenly, the power came back on, as if miraculously. Nicole glanced over to see the lamp light flash back on. But when she looked back to see Jèrèmie, he was gone.


	13. How to Make Sandvich with the Heavy

_Author's Note: AH HA! SURPRISE! AN **EXTRA** UPDATE BEFORE I GO! Here's the Anonymous Review Reply:_

**_Fire-Dragon10_**_: It's alight, Jeremie's just having fun with her. He means no harm at all. Yep, same here, any Spy scares me (unless they're nice Spies). Maybe, but Jeremie needs to be kept a secret, so that might be a little too hard. Hmm, let's see, about the picture. I want to have Nicole caught by Damien, but you can do another one with you if you'd like (or you can do both). Thanks! And thanks for the review! **Damien:** Niether do I, ma cher. *takes off his shirt*_

_**Animed2Fox**- Hmm, you'll have to find out in the later chapters. Thanks for the review! **Damien: ***chuckles* Merci. And jou are such a lady. *wraps a tentacle around Tactix and purrs*_

_And now here's the next chapter! Have a great summer, everyone! :D_

* * *

Nicole stepped into the factory during a bright noon. "Hi, guys!" she called.

The Heavy was the first to respond as he charged at her. "LITTLE GIRL IS BACK!" he came right up to Nicole and hugged her, lifting her effortlessly off the ground. "IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN!"

"Ohhh," Nicole groaned, "Good…to…see you again…Boleslav." She grinned weakly.

Boleslav placed Nicole down. "It's been an entire day since I saw you. What's the matter with you? WHY HAVE YOU NOT COME TO SEE ME?"

Nicole smiled shyly. "Sorry, my friend wanted to spend time with me." She explained.

"But why not spend time with us?"

"Because…uh, she wanted to see me for a bit. I'm sorry…"

Boleslav laughed as he rubbed his giant fist on her head, giving her a gentle noogie. "It's not your fault, little girl."

Nicole felt that her head was burning with pain. "Ow! Ow! Ow! I see, Boleslav…"

"What shall we do today, Nikole?" Boleslav asked.

"Hmm…Well," Nicole thought for a moment. "I did promise you that I would make a sandwich for you."

"YES! WE SHALL MAKE SANDVICH!" Boleslav cheered.

Nicole laughed. "Okay, let's do it! So, do you have the materials?"

Boleslav nodded. "Yes!"

"Alright then, where are they?" Nicole asked.

"Little girl does not know this place very well?" the Heavy questioned, "I shall take you to our itty-bitty kitchen." He walked off, expecting Nicole to follow.

And so she did follow, staying right behind the towering Russian. The two walked across the giant, spacey main room, entering through a red door. Inside, was a simple room with a refrigerator, a counter with a microwave on top, and a set of a table and chairs.

"See how tiny kitchen is?" Boleslav inquired, "It is so small. I don't know how Team can fit into small space all at once."

Nicole nodded of understanding. "I guess it's not _too_ small…but I think it needs to be a bit bigger, you know?"

"Stuff for sandvich is in here!" Heavy headed to the fridge and opened it, taking out containers with various condiments such as vegetables, mayonnaise, and even a jar full of olives.

Nicole instantly knew there was one important thing missing. "Where's the bread?"

"Did you forget, little girl? It is in pantry!" Heavy closed the fridge and opened the door next to it.

Nicole shrugged, realizing that it was the pantry. "Ah, I see now."

"Do you know how to make sandvich?" The Heavy asked, placing the bag of bread next to the other condiments.

"Yep, sure do. I make sandwiches all the time." Nicole answered confidently.

"Very well, let's see."

Nicole came up to the counter. "Alright, let's start off with the bread." She took out the bread and laid two pieces on the counter.

Boleslav nodded of approval.

"You wanted white bread, right?" Nicole asked, turning to the Heavy.

"Da!" Boleslav nodded.

Nicole smiled. "Okay." She then grabbed the plastic container with lettuce. "Now we start with the lettuce."

"NO!"

Nicole jumped in alarm, turning to Boleslav. "No? Why not?" she asked.

"We do NOT start with lettuce." Boleslav corrected.

Nicole gave the Heavy a peculiar look. "Okay…we won't." She placed the lettuce down and took out the container with thin-cut tomatoes. "How about we start with tomatoes?"

"NO! LITTLE GIRL DOES NOT START WITH TOMATOES!" Boleslav shouted.

Nicole frowned. "Alright then, no tomatoes yet." She picked up the jar of mayonnaise. "Mayo?"

Boleslav shook his head "No."

Nicole placed the jar down, looking at the Heavy with confusion. She pointed at the meat. "You want this?"

"Yes! Bologna."

Nicole smiled uncomfortably. "Okay, good! We'll start with the bologna!" she opened the lid and took a few slices of the meat and placed them one of the slices of bread. "Now we can start with the tomatoes." She reached for the tomatoes.

"No tomatoes!"

"Huh?" Nicole looked over at Boleslav, pulling her hand back. "Not right now?"

"No." Boleslav shook his head.

It all became very clear to Nicole that it was serious business making the simplest of sandwiches with the Heavy, who appeared to be three times bigger than she was and was able to knock her down with ease if she were to make one wrong move. Looking over at Boleslav, Nicole pointed at the container filled with lettuce leaves.

Finally, Boleslav nodded of approval. "Da."

Nicole gave a curt nod as she took some leaves of lettuce and placed them on top of the bologna. "Now can we put tomatoes on?" she asked.

"Yes." Boleslav nodded.

Nicole sighed of relief. "Cool…" she took a single slice of tomato.

"What's the matter with you?" The Heavy demanded.

"What? What is it?" Nicole panicked.

"That is not enough tomatoes!"

Nicole frowned. "Okay…" she placed the single tomato slice on top of the lettuce and took another tomato slice. "Is this enough?"

"Keep going." Boleslav ordered.

Nicole placed the second tomato slice on the unfinished sandwich. "More?" she asked.

Boleslav nodded. "More."

Nicole took two slices of tomato. "Is this enough?"

"Too much! Too much!" Boleslav waved his arms about.

"Okay! Sorry, sorry! Didn't mean to take too many…" Nicole placed on slice away and put the other on the nearly complete sandwich. "So, do you want to add mayo?" she inquired.

"Yes." Boleslav answered cheerfully.

Nicole giggled. "You are so easy to please, aren't you?" she said, grabbing the jar of mayonnaise and opening it. "Can I get a plastic knife, please?"

"Okay." Boleslav took a small plastic knife from the table and handed it to Nicole.

"Thanks." Nicole took the knife and dipped it in the mayonnaise. "How much do you want?" she asked.

"Not a whole lot." Boleslav said.

Nicole swabbed a small amount of the condiment on the knife. "Like this?"

Boleslav nodded silently.

Nicole nodded and pointed her knife towards the bread with meat, lettuce, and tomatoes pilled on top.

"No! No! NO! Don't put that on there!" Boleslav demanded.

Nicole sighed heavily. "You want it on the other bread?"

"Yes." Boleslav replied.

Nicole nodded as she began spreading the mayonnaise on the bread. "We're almost done, right?"

"That is right, little girl!" Boleslav answered with enthusiasm.

Once the bread was covered in the condiment, Nicole placed the bread on top of the other half. "Alright, sandwich is done!" she announced.

"YES! SANDVICH IS-!" Boleslav froze.

Nicole blinked in surprise. "What's wrong? I finished the sandwich, and it's just the way you like it…"

"It is not finished yet." Boleslav said.

"It's…not?" Nicole questioned.

"No. You are missing one more thing."

To Nicole, it almost felt like her brain was going to explode out from her head of frustration. But she kept calm and took in a deep breath. "What am I missing?"

The Heavy took a toothpick from the counter and stuck it in the middle of the sandwich. He then picked an olive from a jar and stuck it in the toothpick. "There, now it is finished."

Nicole smiled. "Awesome!"

"Now we need to cut it!"

Nicole smile disappeared, but just for a few seconds. "In half?"

"Yes."

Nicole nodded as she took the plastic knife and cut the sandwich in half. Afterwards, she took another toothpick and olive, copying what Boleslav did before by sticking the toothpick and olive in the other half.

"IT IS DONE!" Boleslav beamed, "You were credit to team!"

Nicole laughed. "Why thank you, I did my very best."

Boleslav took one half of the sandwich. "To you, Nikole, for making sandvich!"

Nicole happily took the other half. "To you, Boleslav, for helping me make the sandwich!"

The two cheered as they tapped thief halves together. As Boleslav took a bite into his half, Nicole inspected her half. "I think I did a pretty good job." She held it up for her first bite.

"Hey, Nikki!"

Nicole looked over to her right to see the Engineer by the door. "Hey, Bill!"

"C'mon over here! I have something to show you!"

Nicole placed her sandwich half on the counter and came right up to Bill. "What is it?"

Bill held up a blueprint. "It's my plans for the second U.T." he unrolled it and held it up for both him and Nicole to see. "What do you think?"

Nicole saw diagrams of the machine, which looked very similar to the one back at the Fortress. Formulas and writings were all over, all too difficult for Nicole to understand. "Very interesting, Bill, I like it."

"At about this pace, I think it'll take two weeks to complete. But it will be all worth it!" Bill smiled.

Nicole quickly glanced up to see Boleslav walking out from the kitchen finishing his last bit of sandwich before looking back at the Engineer. "That's cool, Bill, I hope it works!"

Bill nodded. "Me too." He rolled the blueprint back up. "I'll see you around, Nikki, I'm going to go work on it right now!" he waved as he walked away and headed back up the stairs.

"See ya!" Nicole waved back. She headed back to the counter for her sandwich, but stopped to see something wrong. "What the-?"

A chunk of her sandwich half was missing. Nicole picked the remaining bit of it, frowning. "Aww, man! Who did this?"

That's when she noticed a folded piece of paper on the counter. Nicole picked it up and unfolded it. A letter written in red ink and with very fancy cursive was revealed, reading: _Dear Nicole, I enjoyed the sandwich you created. Very well done, I applaud your efforts. If only you could have made more for me, but I took what I needed and I'm quite satisfied…for now. Merci, ma chéri. Love, Léon. P.S. I truly look forward into seeing you again, and we _WILL_ have our affair really soon. When? That is for you to find out…_

Upset and somewhat disturbed, Nicole crumpled the paper into a ball and tossed it aside. "Why can't there be a day where he's not bothering me?" she asked herself, eating what was left of her 'perfect' sandwich.


	14. Playing Games

_Author's Note: HELLO! I AM BACK FROM THE GRAVE! LOL! XD J/K. I'm finally back after a freaking long time. XD And Now here's the Anonymous Review Reply:_

_**Animed2Fox67: **LOL! Sorry, didn't mean to do that. XD Hmm, that's a good question. You'll see action probably in the next chapter...depending on your view point. But there will be action soon, I promise. Thanks for the review. **Damien:** Hm? Cheap perfume? But I smell like cherries. 8)_

_**Fire-Dragon10**: Yep, might as well make one more update before I left. But it's good to be back! :D I know, right? Leon's a jerk! But this is only the beginning. XP That sounds like a great idea! Let me know when that drawing is finished, I would love to see it. Thanks for the review. **Damien: ***purrs loudly* Mmm, that feels very good._

_**fred the fish**: AWWW MAN! *face palm* HOW COULD I FORGET THAT! IT'S NOT POSSIBLE! NOOOO! LOL! I'll go ahead and fix that as soon as possible. Thanks for letting me know. _

_**CC**: Hmm, yes I know there is a few flaws here and there, but I'm trying my best. Yes, I know, I'm trying to shake that routine up a bit, don't worry. I'm not the best with descriptions, and I think dialouge keeps things moving, but I'm working on that too. It's a quirk Nicole has, she can't be all that perfect, after all. Thanks for you honest opinions, I really appreciate it. :)_

_And now finally, the moment you've all been waiting for: IT'S THE NEXT CHAPTER! WOO HOO!_

* * *

Back at home after a long day making a sandwich at the factory, Nicole was watching television when she heard a knock at the door. "I'm coming!" She called, rushing to the front door. She opened it, and smiled. "Oh, hey, Jake!"

It was the Scout at the front door. "Yo, s'up, Nicole?" he waved.

"Hey! How's it going, Jake? Come in, come in." Nicole insisted, "Don't be shy."

Jake walked right into the house. "Hey, wanna play?"

Nicole shrugged, closing the door. "Play what?"

"I dunno, some games or somethin'? I wanna try something new, you know, like of those game videos or whatever you call 'em." Jake suggested.

"Well, I have all sorts of games…like Halo, Left 4 Dead, Half-Life, Portal, you name it."

"Uhhh, what the heck are ya talkin' about?" Jake asked, being slightly confused.

Nicole sighed. "Well, never mind. They're just a bunch of games I have."

"Oh, uh, okay…that's cool, that's cool." Jake nodded.

"Is there anything in particular you would like to play?" Nicole asked.

"Eh, I dunno…do you have anything simple?"

Nicole thought for a moment. "Actually…I do! Hang on, I got just the thing!" she ran to the stairs and headed towards the room, with Jake not too far behind. Once she got to her room, she came to the desk and grabbed what she needed. "I think this ought to do it."

To Jake, it was a very small computer like device with wide screens and folded like a book. "Yeah, uh, I don't know what the heck that is…" he said.

Nicole held it up for Jake to see. "It's a Nintendo DS Lite…a portable game system, basically."

Jake frowned. "I don't get it…"

"It's alright…it's just like a…" Nicole sighed, "Look, have you ever typed on a keyboard before?" she asked.

The Scout nodded. "Yeah."

"So it's almost the same thing, only it's for fun and there's not very many buttons, and there's two screens…" Nicole explained as best as she could. She knew it would be rather difficult explaining a simple game system to a person of the late 60's.

Jake nodded in understanding. "Alright, that's cool, I guess. Mind if I take a look?" he asked.

Nicole smiled. "Sure thing, just don't break it." She warned.

Jake took the DS system and opened it. "Wow! Freakin' sweet! How do you turn it on?"

"Like this…" Nicole pushed the tab on the right, and the screens on the DS lit up. "There you go."

"Alright! Thanks!" Jake looked at the bottom screen. "Now what?"

"Just tap the screen." Nicole instructed.

"Why?" Jake questioned.

Nicole sighed. "Just try it."

The Scout nodded. "Alright, alright, geez…" he tapped the screen lightly with a finger. A light chime was heard. "What's it doin'? What's it doin'?"

"It's starting, don't worry about it…" Nicole explained, trying to keep the overreacting Scout calm.

Jake saw even more flashes of light, color, and heard a fanfare coming from the speakers. He noticed bold yellow words with blue boarders. "Po…Poke…What the heck is this crap?"

"It's Pokémon, it's one of my favorite games to play." Nicole said, "I think I put Sapphire Version in there earlier…"

Jake frowned. "Aw, geez, freakin' unbelievable! Those scum-sucking BLUs are terrible!" he complained.

Nicole sighed and placed a hand on his shoulder. "It's just a game, Jake, relax. You are not competing against the BLU's. Besides, the BLU Team isn't here and you're not at the Fortress. So for now, blue is just a color, okay?"

Jake nodded. "Alright, fine…" he pushed the A-button. "While file do I choose? The one with your name on it, 'New Game', or 'Options'?" he asked.

"The one with my name on it, of course. The other two aren't files at all."

Jake nodded and pressed the A-button again, the screen faded, and then reappeared seconds later. He saw a tiny female figure standing in a patch of grass. "Who the heck is that?"

"That's me, or at least my character." Nicole said.

Jake smiled as he noticed that the little figure was wearing red. "Yeah, now that's what I'm talkin' about! RED Pride! Wooo! Now how do I move it around?" he tapped on the bottom screen.

"Just push on the cross-like button." Nicole answered.

Jake nodded and did what he was told, he saw the little figure walk around in the grass. "Huh, I guess this isn't too bad…Hey! Whoa! What the-? What's goin' on?" he panicked as he watched the screen flash wildly.

"It's okay, it's okay! You just ran into a wild Pokémon. It's no big deal." Nicole patted Jake's shoulder.

Jake watched in confusion as he saw a raccoon-like creature, with brown and white fur coming from one side of the screen. "Zigga-What?"  
"Zigzagoon," Nicole corrected, "It's not that powerful, so, you'll be fine."

Jake also noticed a purple-colored ghost pop out from a red and white ball. "'Hunter'? Is that yours?"

"Yep, Hunter is my Haunter. I'm leveling him up right now, and he's really good."

Jake looked at his options. "Hmm, nah, I ain't gonna run. Runnin' is for sissies. I'll fight!" he pressed the A-button. "Okay, what kind of moves are these?" he thought carefully. "Oh! I'll use 'Night Shade'! I bet that'll break the ice!" he moved his cursor to the wanted move and pressed the button. "'Hunter used Night Shade!'" the Scout quoted proudly. But his smile soon disappeared. "WHAT THE FREAKIN' HECK? WHAT DO YOU MEAN IT HAD NO EFFECT! STUPID ZIGGA-FREAK! THIS SUCKS ON ICE!"

Nicole looked at the screen, observing carefully. "I forgot to tell you that ghost moves don't have any effect on normal type Pokémon."

Jake sighed. "Well, that sucks! I didn't know that there were types!"

"Hey, it's all about strategy, Jake, you can't just wing it."

Jake shrugged as he continued to watch the game. "HEY! NO FAIR! HOW COME THAT THING ATTACKS MY GUY BY BITTIN' IT? AND IT'S SUPER EFFECTIVE TOO? THAT'S TOTALLY UNCOOL!" he switched the power to off. "I hate Pokémon!"

"Well, I do have another game in there that's simpler, for you, and fits your style. Do you like adventure?"

Jake nodded. "Heck yeah!"

"May I see the DS for a second?" Nicole asked.

"Sure, but you better know what you're doin'." Jake handed over the game system.

Nicole nodded and turned it back on. Jake watched her tap the screen several times and pressing several buttons. "There we go." She gave the DS back to the Scout. "Here, I think you'll like this game."

Jake looked down at the top screen. There was a figure of a man in a red shirt, blue overalls, and a big red cap standing in a field with a castle in the background. "Who's that?"

"That's Mario, he's the character you're going to play."

"And what do I do?" Jake asked.

"You jump by pressing the A-button, and run with the cross button. It's simple really. Oh, and you have to either avoid or attack the things that are coming your way. Your goal is to reach the flag. I started on level one for you, to make things easier for you." Nicole explained.

Jake grinned. "Ha! That's too easy! I can do it!"  
Nicole giggled. "Now that's the spirit!"

Jake pressed various buttons, moving the little stout character in the game. "Hey, this is kind of easy! I like this a lot better." He then noticed a stumpy, brown creature heading towards Mario. "Hey! Watch out, what ever you are, I'm comin'! Hi-ya!" he pressed the A-button, making Mario jump and land on the creature, flattening it. "Yeah! How do you like that, chuckle-nuts? I totally owned ya! HA HA! Oh yeah! This music is great, man! It's kind of catchy!" he began to whistle along to the theme.

Nicole smiled, happy to see the Scout enjoying the game. "Good job, Jake! You'll be a pro in no time! I'm happy you like Super Mario Bros, or at least the new one. You should play the old, original one, it's a lot of fun."

It wasn't too long until Jake got a surprise. "Alright! I got a giant freakin' mushroom! Whoa!" he gasped as he saw Mario grow into a giant. "WOO HOO! NOW WE'RE DOIN' IT! THAT'S RIGHT, MARIO! STOMP EVERYTHING IN YOUR PATH! DIE, YOU FREAKIN' FLYIN' TURTLE!"

Nicole laughed. "Wow, you're really doing good. That's not bad."

Jake's smile soon vanished. "Aww, no fair! He shrunk! That's not cool! Oh well, at least I'm almost there!"

"You're almost finished?" Nicole asked.

"Heck yeah, Nicole! I'm gonna win this round! Just a few more jumps and I'll beat it!" he pressed the A-button several times. "Just one more hole to jump over…" he watched the character leap into the air. "YEAH! YEAH! C'MON, MARIO! YOU CAN DO IT!" he cheered.

But cheerful joy turned into heartbreak as he watched Mario miss the landing and fall into the bottomless hole. "NO! FREAKIN' UNBELIEVABLE!" he cried as he saw the character jump one last time before falling off screen.

Nicole frowned, giving Jake another pat on the back. "I'm so sorry, Jake…But you did well on your first try."  
Jake switched the power off again. But instead of pouting, he began to laugh.

Nicole blinked in surprise. "Hey, what's so funny?" she asked.

"That was most fun I've ever had! I…I can't believe it! I freakin' loved it!" Jake cheered, "Man! I wish I had this back at the Fortress!"

"But…I can't afford to buy another one. I'll tell you what, you can borrow it anytime you like. Just please don't break it and ask permission first. Deal?"

Jake nodded. "Deal."

The two shook hands and laughed, enjoying one another's company and sharing the fun they had over the little game system.


	15. Just a Minor Kidnapping

_Author's Note: Alright-y now! It's time for the Anonymous Review Reply!_

_**Fire-Dragon10**: LOL! Thanks for the glomp! :D He sure does. Ohh, wait until you see when they do...X3 I have just the perfect plan for that. Oh, okay, take you time, let me know when you finish. LOL! Procrastination does suck on ice, huh? Thanks for the review! **Damien: ***Purrs* That feels SOO good...Don't stop please... *tentacles wrap around you*_

**_fred the fish_**_: Yes, I am back, and I am REALLY happy to be so. Sorry I didn't respond for a long time. XP Hmm, I thought that the old Nintendo system was made in the 80s, and TF2 took place in the late 60s, so I wouldn't see how that would match up. But I may be wrong. Yeah, LOL! Game boys are now fossils. LOL! I've got a chapter or two with Nicole and the Soldier, and your suggestion gives me an idea for later on. I'll see what I can do. ROFL! I love "Meet the Soldier", it's SO funny! XD And you're right, it never gets old! Thanks for the review!_

_And now here's the next chapter! Enjoy!_

* * *

Nicole placed a black cap on her head. "And there, that should do it!" she said to herself. She looked at herself in the bathroom mirror. She wore a black jacket over a red shirt, dark-blue jeans, and black shoes. "Now I'm ready to see the guys!" she headed out from the bathroom and opened the door. "Maybe I should talk to Angus this time, I bet he's got some really good stories to tell."

Nicole suddenly froze upon hearing faint footsteps coming from the hallway down towards her left. "Huh? What was that?"

The footsteps grew louder, indicating that something or someone was approaching.

Nicole took in a deep breath. "Alright…it's no big deal…I must be hearing things."

That's when she felt something rub against her legs. Nicole jumped in alarm and looked down to see what it was. "Oh…it's you."

Sally purred as she nudged against the leg, meowing repeatedly for attention.

Nicole sighed as she picked up the black cat. "Okay, okay, Sally…But just for one minute." She said as she scratched the cat's head. "You're just a bundle of love, aren't you?"

Sally continued to purr loudly, snuggling with her owner.

Nicole smiled. "You my sweet girl. Yes you are!" she giggled as she took the cat into her room. "Alright, now you be a good girl while I'm gone, okay? I already cleaned your box and gave you plenty of food and water, so don't complain when I get back." She gently placed Sally down on the bed. "There, now you take it easy."

The cat instantly collapsed on the bed, curling into a nice, round ball.

Nicole gave a curt nod and smiled. "That ought a do it. I'll see you soon, Sally!" she began heading out of her room and went down the stairs.

"_I see you spend too much time with jour petite chat, chéri_."

Nicole stopped dead in her tracks in the middle of the stairway. "Hey! Who's that?" she demanded.

"_Did you forget? Hm, I think you have a little memory problem_."

"Where are you? Show yourself!" Nicole growled.

"Right behind you…"

Nicole turned around and almost screamed. "AHH! NOO!"

It was Léon, the RED Spy, standing not to far away from her. "What's the matter with jou? You acting like we've never met before." He frowned, with the white cigarette in his mouth.

Nicole slowly made her way down the stairs, trying not to fall over backwards. "S-Stay away from me! Go away! How did you even get in here?"

Léon smirked. "The front door was unlocked."

Nicole sighed. "Darn! I knew I was forgetting something!" she snapped her fingers.

"I came 'ere to pick you up and take you back at our place." Léon explained.

Nicole glared at the RED Spy. "I'm fine, thank you. I don't need you at all. I can simply walk over there. It's only about ten or fifteen minutes away."

Léon slowly made his way down the stairs. "Come here, my dear, I'm only going to take you there."

Nicole shook her head. "No, I said I'm fine…I-I'll just meet you over there."

"That's not going to satisfy me, chéri, I insist on taking you. No exceptions."

"I said no! What part of 'no' are you not getting?"

Léon laughed evilly. "I'm _not_ taking 'no' for an answer, chéri."

Nicole swallowed hard as she felt a chill down her spine. "D-Don't make me call the cops on you, creeper!" she warned, running to the nearest phone. But she suddenly froze as she heard the loading of a gun. She turned back at the Spy, who had his Ambassador pointing straight at her.

"Don't make me kill you, my dear. It would be such a waste and it would ruin everything. So please, mademoiselle, just come along with me and I _promise_ I won't hurt jou." Léon said, glaring at her.

Nicole felt her heart racing. She sighed as she slowly made her way towards him. "Alright fine…"

Léon held his hand out. "Let us proceed, ma chéri."

With a heavy sigh, Nicole took his hand. She felt her heart drop. "Very well then…" she moaned.

* * *

Both Léon and Nicole made it back to the factory. The RED Spy guided her inside.

Nicole shivered as she felt his hand press against her back and push her inside. "Why are you doing this?" she asked, feeling both terrified and annoyed.

Léon closed the door behind him. "Well, chéri, the others have left, and I was getting…quite lonely." He smiled at her.

Nicole frowned. "So…you're saying that we're alone…and it's just…the two of us in here?"

"Oui." Léon nodded.

Nicole immediately knew that this was very bad news. "Oh…I see…" she said, trying not to show any panic or fear. "Why didn't you go with the others?"

"The rest of the team left for some errands or something like that. It wasn't my best interest to go along with them."

Nicole glared. "All you want to do is to trap me somehow so you could have your…your affair!" she crossed her arms and turned away from him. "I'm not going to let you do it! No way! I would rather keep my virginity, thank you!"

"Aww, now, now, ma chéri," Léon wrapped his arms around Nicole. "don't be like that. I'm not giving jou any other choice."

Nicole gasped. "Let go of me, creep! I'm too young for you! Why don't you pick on some woman your own age?"

Léon frowned. "Non! It took me a long time to find someone like jou, and I'm not going to change my plans! Besides, the younger, the better, I always say."

Nicole struggled to get out from his clutches. "Ewww! You're a sick man! Leave me alone!"

"Stop that, chéri! Jou're making things much worse than they need to be." Léon growled.

Nicole finally managed to yank herself away. "I SAID NO! SO GET AWAY FROM ME!" she took off in a dash.

_BANG!_

Nicole immediately fell to the floor, ducking her head. Laying flat on her chest, she turned to see Léon with his Ambassador. She noticed that smoke was coming from the barrel of the gun. Fortunately for her, the gun was pointed towards the high ceiling.

"Get. Over. Here. Now." Léon demanded angrily.

Nicole got up slowly, and timidly made her way towards the Spy. She looked up at him with fright, worried of what the outcome would be. She glanced over at his gun, which had an etching of a woman on it. She looked at the carving with disgust before looking back up at Léon.

"Now listen to me carefully," Léon hissed putting away his Ambassador, "if you keep this up, I swear I _will_ punish you for everything you do that causes trouble." He grabbed Nicole's shoulders and yanked her towards him. "Jou understand?"

Nicole nodded. "Yes! Yes! I do! I do! Now please let go!" she whimpered.

Léon rolled his eyes. "Oh please, not this again…" he lifted Nicole and flung her over his shoulder.

"Hey! What are you doing?" Nicole gasped.

"What do jou think I'm doing?" Leon sneered, taking her to the stairs.

Nicole felt her heart skip a beat. "Oh no! Please! I don't want to do it! Let go, or I'll scream!"

"HA HA HA HA HA!" Léon laughed mockingly, "No one would hear you, my dear. What would be the point in that?"

"I don't care! I want you to put me down! I swear, if you do what I think you're going to do, I will-! OW! HEY!" Nicole yelped as she felt two gloved fingers pinch her rear. "WHY YOU-! I WOULD KICK YOU SO HARD IF I COULD!"

Léon chuckled. "You're no fun, aren't you?"

Nicole growled. "Put me down, Léon! This is _not_ funny!"

Once up the stairs, the Spy headed towards an open door. "This is where I stay, I'm sure you'll like it. I made it especially comfortable for the both of us."

Nicole whimpered. "What?"

Once inside his room, Léon gently placed Nicole back down. She glanced around in the room. It was a simple room with a bed, wall mirror, dresser, and a single, wooden chair. "This is it?" she questioned, giving Léon an unimpressed look.

Léon frowned. "I'm still working on it…" he sighed, "But that is not very important right now." He glared at Nicole.

Nicole gulped. "No…it isn't…"

Léon placed an arm around her. "Let's not get too distracted, my dear, we have work to do."

Nicole flinched at his touch. "Please…no…I don't want this."

"It's too late to go back, chéri." Léon leaned towards her and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

Nicole gasped. "Stop that!"

"Stop what?" Léon chuckled, "I'm not doing anything to jou."

"You're scaring me…"

"Good, that means I have more control."

Nicole shivered. "I have to get going now."

Léon gave the girl a peculiar look. "But we just arrived, I need to show you…something special."

Nicole instantly thought of the worst. "Uhh, n-no thanks, I really have to get going…"

Léon's grip tightened. "I'm not letting jou go just yet, chéri."

Nicole winced in pain. "I'm sorry, but I really, _really_ have to leave. I got to…uh, feed my cat."

"But I thought jou said you gave your cat plenty of food and water." Léon smirked.

Nicole frowned. "Oh…I guess you heard that…"

Léon laughed. "I am a Spy, after all…" he turned Nicole around, making her face him. "Now, where were we?"

Nicole swallowed hard. "Uh, y-you were going to let me go free…?"

Léon chuckled. "Nice try, but I have other things in mind."

Just when it was a sealed fate for Nicole, the both of them paused as they heard footsteps. "Is…is someone here?"

Léon looked up. "Looks like someone arrived early. That's quite a pity…" he pulled back. "We'll do this some other time." He gently stroked Nicole's cheek with two of his fingers.

Nicole took a step back. "Uhhh, I'm not so sure about that."

Léon glared at her with his pale-blue eyes. "But I am…"

Nicole frowned, looking away from the RED Spy.

That's when Pyro passed by, stopping to see what Leon and Nicole were up to. He muffled something, as if trying to ask a question.

Léon looked up and smiled. "Oh, it's nothing, Pyro, Nicole and I were just getting to know each other better."

Nicole shrugged. "Uhhh, I g-guess you can say it like that." She came right up to Pyro. "Hey, Pyro, how's it going?"

Pyro took one last glance at Léon before walking away, with Nicole by his side. He muffled again, answering her question.

Nicole nodded. "Oh, that's interesting…"

Pyro and Nicole walked down the stairs and talked with each other, even though it felt like a one-sided conversation to Nicole. Even though she couldn't understand the Pyromaniac, she felt happy to be with someone other than the RED Spy.

"Hey, thanks for coming by and talking with me, Pyro. I appreciate that." Nicole grinned.

Pyro shrugged and muffled something, only this time, Nicole understood it as 'no problem'.

"Listen, Pyro, I have to get home now…But I'll see you soon, okay?" Nicole said.

Pyro nodded and gave her a 'thumbs up'.

Nicole giggled and hugged Pyro. "Thanks again! Bye, Pyro!" she stepped back and headed to the front door. Freedom from the malevolent Léon was the only thing she felt as she went out the door as fast as she could.


	16. Three Maggots and a Cup of Coffee

_Author's Note: It's time once again for the Anonymous Review Reply!_

_**Fire-Dragon10**: Yep, Leon is a true creeper. Yeah! That ought to teach him! LOL! I would love to see that. XD YES! Pyro deserves a medal! :D Thanks for the review! **Damien:** *purrs* You're making me really happy indeed, and I also see a sastified fan. *laughs*_

_**fred the fish**: Yeah, but I would check it up on Wikipedia or something just to make sure. Yeah, it's nothing to worry about, anyway. Yes! Pyro is a hero, and he didn't even know why! ROFL! XD Hm, her cat? Maybe, but I don't know how to put that in. I'll see what I can do. Don't worry, I'll make sure the cat isn't harmed. :) Not to worry, the BLU Spy will come back soon, but I can't tell you when. You're just going to have to find out what happens. Thanks for the review!_

_**Animed2Fox**: LOL! That would have been funny, but that would be Team Killing. XP Thanks for the review!_

_And here's the next chapter! :D_

* * *

"YOU ARE THE SORREST EXCUSE I HAVE EVER SEEN! YOU ARE NOT WAR MATERIAL, MAGGOT!"

Nicole jumped in alarm as she heard the shouting coming from downstairs. "What in the world?" she ran out from her room and zoomed down the stairs to see Kyle yelling at the flat screen TV set. She stared at him, confused on what the Soldier was doing. "Kyle…how did you get in the house?"

Kyle glanced up at Nicole before turning back to the television. "COME ON, PUT SOME BACK BONE INTO IT! YOU'RE A WEAK, SCUM-SUCKING FRUITBASKET!" he continued to shout, ignoring Nicole's question.

Nicole came right up to Kyle. "What are you watching?" she looked over at the TV. A war movie was playing, and it focused on a World War II solider running in a warzone and avoiding explosions and gun fires. "Uhh, Kyle, why are you shouting at the TV?"

"BECAUSE THAT PRIVATE IS NOT DOING HIS JOB CORRECTLY! WHY, IF I COULD, I WOULD TEACH THAT MAGGOT A THING OR TWO ABOUT _REAL_ COMBAT!" Kyle answered roughly.

Nicole sighed. "It's okay, Kyle, it's just a movie. Besides, none of that is real. It's all fictional…"

"I DON'T CARE! I HATE THIS MOVIE!" Kyle growled, pounding a fist into the palm of his hand, "IF I WAS IN THAT MOVIE I WOULD-!"

Nicole grabbed the remote off from the top of the TV and pressed a button, changing the channel. "There, you happy?"

Kyle glared at Nicole. "Hey! Why did you do that? I was watching that!"

"No, you were screaming at it. Now, why don't you watch the Discovery Channel instead? See? Look? It's showing Mythbusters, and it's an episode with weapon myths, lucky you."

Kyle put a finger up to his chin. "I've never heard of this before…"

"Yep, I've noticed you've never seen today's TV shows at all. Have you had your coffee today?" she asked, noticing the Soldier's cranky behavior.

The Soldier groaned. "No…"

"Would you like me to get some for you?" Nicole asked.

"That would be nice, thanks." Kyle stepped back and sat down on the nearest couch.

Nicole nodded and walked into the kitchen. "So, uh, how did you get in here, anyway?"

"The door was unlocked." Kyle answered.

Nicole frowned. "I should have guessed. You know, you could have knocked first. That way, I'll know it's you and not some crazed burglar." She grabbed a container of coffee powder from a cabinet. "How do you like you coffee, Kyle?" she asked.

Kyle shrugged. "I don't care, maggot…"

"Okay." Nicole poured some powder into the jug and placed it in the coffee machine. "How come you call everyone 'maggots' and such? Where did that come from?"

"It's none of your business, maggot…"

Nicole frowned. "Alright then, I'll leave it at that." She watched the hot water from the machine pour into the jug with the powder. "Did you come here alone, or did you bring someone?"

"Benny's upstairs, I think." Kyle answered, pointing towards the stairs.

Nicole blinked in surprise. "Benny's here, too?"

Kyle nodded. "That's right."

"I didn't hear anyone come up the stairs or anything…That's odd…" Nicole looked through the window. It was a bright and sunny morning, despite being a cold winter morning.

"G'Day, Nicole!" Benny called as he came down the stairs.

Nicole looked over at the Sniper. "Hey, Benny! How's it going? Do you want some coffee?"

Benny shook his head. "Nah, mate, I'm good." He looked over at the TV. "What's Kyle watchin'?"

"Something about myth-busting and weapons, I'm not quite sure what this is, but it's interesting…" Kyle answered, drawn to the show.

"Ah, sounds…eh, different. I've never heard of such a shonky TV show." Benny chuckled.

Nicole smiled, as she poured some of the finished coffee in a mug. "Here you go, Kyle! Coffee's done!" she carefully carried the mug to the Soldier. "Be careful, it's hot."

Kyle looked up at Nicole and smiled. "Thanks, maggot!" he took a small sip of the coffee. "I guess this isn't too bad…You did well. You deserve a medal."

Nicole laughed. "Aw, thanks, all I did was read the instructions. You know, I still have that other medal you gave me."

"You do? That's great." Kyle grinned as he took another sip of his coffee.

"Yep, it's hanging on my wall right now and I love it! My friend keeps asking on where I get it. I think she's jealous or something." Nicole joked.

"If she wants one, she's going to have to go through me first." Kyle scoffed, "I bet that maggot wouldn't last a day with me as her instructor."

Nicole frowned. "Uh, I don't think you want to meet her. She's kind of a spazz…I'm serious. One time, she screamed for five minutes when she got this game she wanted, I'm not kidding, she was bouncing off the walls and everything." She sat down next to the Soldier. "Besides, I have to keep you guys a secret."

Benny shrugged. "Eh, we understand, Shelia."

Nicole nodded. "Yep, I can't really explain to my parents that I hang out with a bunch of men who carry weapons all the time. And nobody would believe me if I told them, anyway." She explained.

"Try explaining the difference between a crazed gunman and an assassin to your dad. It's not fun, mate." Benny sheepishly smiled. "Believe me…"

"Well, that's true," Nicole nodded in understanding. "But you guys are _so_ lucky you don't have my parents. They are workaholics who freak out at anything that's either unnatural or out of place. When I came home from the Fortress about five months ago, they were all over me and wouldn't let me out of the house for three days or so. It was crazy!"

Benny frowned. "Oh, was it that bad?"

"Yes, yes it was that bad." Nicole replied with a heavy sigh, "But I love them anyway."

Kyle snickered. "Softie…" he muttered.

Nicole frowned. "Hey! I'm not soft!"

"Uh, you kind of are, Shelia." Benny agreed, sitting next to Nicole.

"Well, kind of…but it's not that bad!" Nicole protested.

"Uh-huh, sure it is…" Kyle said sarcastically. He took another drink of the warm coffee.

"Prove it!" Nicole snapped.

"That time we saved you from that Tenta-thing…yeah," Benny sighed, remembering Nicole defending the creature that tried to abuse her, "You were so soft, you were blabbering like a little tike over the monster before we had the chance to kill it."

"Him! That TentaSpy was a male!" Nicole corrected, "Besides, all life has value, no matter how corrupted it is."

The Sniper rolled his eyes. "Whatever…"

"Now don't get me started with that BLU Spy," Kyle added, remembering when they first met the BLU Spy after Nicole returned to the RED Team, "I still can't believe you actually believed every word he said."

Nicole's left eye began to twitch. "He was a good man, Kyle," she explained, "and he did nothing to hurt me. He took care of me very well. And he saved me multiple times."

Kyle groaned. "I still don't like him, that maggot! I would love to strangle him with his _own_ frilly training bra if he shows his sorry face again!" he chuckled at the thought.

"Can we please change subjects here?" Nicole asked, being slightly annoyed, "I'm starting to really hate this conversation…"

Benny laughed. "Aww, we love you too, Shelia." He patted Nicole on the head with one hand.

Nicole crossed her arms and pouted. "Hmph! Quit babying me!"

"You sometimes act like one." Benny said.

Nicole blinked. "I do?"

"Didn't I tell you to grow up, maggot?" Kyle asked, frowning at Nicole.

Nicole smiled shyly. "Yeah, you kind of did. I'm trying…really, I am."

"Not much of an improvement, I see." Kyle smirked.

Nicole sighed and rolled her eyes. "At least I don't need coffee to fuel myself."

"Shut up, maggot!" Kyle snapped, taking one last chug of the coffee.

That's when the TV screen showed a fiery explosion. All three glanced at the screen in awe.

"Now that's what I want to see!" Kyle's smile reappeared.

Benny gave the Soldier a peculiar look. "Can't you go one day without thinking about wars?"

Kyle glanced over at the Sniper before turning back to the television. "No, and I prefer it to keep it that way."

Benny frowned as he leaned over to Nicole. "Imagine _him_ fighting for world peace." He whispered.

Nicole laughed, trying not to be too loud.

"What are you laughing at, maggot?" Kyle demanded, turning to Nicole.

Nicole immediately stopped laughing, but kept the smirk on her face. "It's nothing, Kyle, I don't think you'll like it…"

Kyle grumbled to himself as he took one last sip of the coffee. "If only I had coffee like this back at our place…"


	17. Just for a Visit

_Author's Note: Well, it's time for the Anonymous Review Reply! :D YAY!_

_**Fire-Dragon10**_: _I know, right? She's so used to not having random TF2 characters bust into her house, that she doesn't even pay mind to locking the door. XP He will ingore it, trust me. I know he will! XD LOL! Hmm, not yet. You'll see why it will be a while before Nicole can show them some games. ;) Thanks for the review! **Damien: ***purrs and starts licking your cheek*_

_**fred the fish**: Yay! Sorry I forgot Sun zuo (I spelled it wrong, I know). *face palm* My bad. You have ideas? Cool! I would love to hear them. Although I have already written a lot of chapters during the summer, I would still like to see what you have in mind. :) Thanks for the review! I'm glad you still enjoyed the last chapter._

_**petery 132**: Oh, I did say on the summary that this was the sequel to POTF, but that's okay. I just hope you understand everything. I like Pyro too! :) LOL! I saw a comic where the cat really was a Spy. XD Thanks for the review!_

_**Animed2Fox**: Thanks, it wasn't my best one, but thanks! :) Yeah, I'm sorry that this story isn't as action-packed as the first one so far. But trust me, there WILL be action later in the story. I promise. But thanks for the review!_

_And now here's the next chapter! Enjoy! :D_

* * *

Nicole knocked at her neighbor's door, expecting her friend, Cassie to answer it. Seconds later, the door opened. "Hey, Cassie."

Cassie smiled as she saw her best friend. "Hiya, Nicole! Come on in!"

Nicole stepped into the house. "Thanks for inviting me over." She quickly glanced around in the living room. It was a simple one, with a tan carpet, light brown leather couches, and a flat screen TV hanging on the wall under cabinet full of movies and CDs.

"It's no problem," Cassie shrugged her shoulders. "I'm happy to have you here."

"So, what did you want me to talk about?" Nicole asked.

Cassie sighed. "You've been quite busy. I mean, I've never seen you so absent like all the time? What's gotten into you? You've been sleeping in or going out?"

"Well…" Nicole thought for a bit. "I've been…doing stuff."

"Ah, I see what it is…" Cassie sneered.

Nicole frowned. "You do?"

"Of course I do," the red head scoffed, "you've been playing too much Half-Life, haven't you?"

Nicole blinked. "Uhhh, sure…"

"Ah ha, I knew it." Cassie laughed, "I haven't seen you around lately, so that makes sense."

"Okay…" Nicole nodded, hoping for her friend to quickly change the subject.

"I bet you have a crush on Gordon Freeman." Cassie giggled.

Nicole frowned, giving Cassie a peculiar look.

"What? I would too, after all, he's a pretty _sexy_ scientist." Cassie smiled, "But you know what?"

"What?" Nicole glared at Cassie, being very annoyed.

"I bet you would drool all over him if Freeman was shirtless!"

Nicole gasped. "No! I would not!"

Cassie nodded. "You sure would. I mean, I've noticed you have this thing with attractive men who are shirtless. I mean, take for instance that time you blushed when I showed you that picture of Francis with no shirt on."

Nicole sighed. "Okay, come on! You know I like playing as Francis in Left 4 Dead, but I could have sworn I was _not_ blushing!" she protested.

"Uh-huh, _sure_ you weren't…" Cassie mocked.

"Come on, Cassie! Would you please drop the stupid subject already? Everything you're saying right now is a joke!"

Suddenly, Cassie frowned and pointed her finger at Nicole. "HAAAX!" She cried.

Nicole rolled her eyes. "What? Am I supposed to expect some computer to come flying into my face right now? It's not working, Cassie."

"Don't make me send G-Man after you!" Cassie warned jokingly, "He's got a briefcase! A BRIEFCASE!"

Nicole sighed heavily. "Come on, Cassie. Could you please stop? I'm getting really tired of this…" she strolled over to a couch and slumped down.

"I love you too!" Cassie giggled, joining Nicole's side.

"What's this all about? Are you trying to get something out of me?" Nicole asked, giving her friend a suspicious look.

Cassie shrugged. "Maybe…"

"Like what?"

"Like why are you gone all the time? I'm beginning to miss you…" Cassie said, looking innocently at Nicole.

"I've been at the house reading a lot of Stephen King books. And I'm happy to say that I've just finished _The Shining _this morning."

Cassie beamed. "That's great! Did you like it?"

Nicole shrugged. "It was…pretty interesting."

"Are you going to watch the movie?"

"Nah, I'm not really interested. Besides, you know what they always say: The book is always better than the movie." Nicole added.

"Yeah, I guess you right…" Cassie nodded in agreement. "But what else have you been doing? I've also noticed that you've been going out a lot recently."

Nicole's smile immediately disappeared. "You have…?"

"Yep, I sure have. How come you go out?" Cassie questioned.

"I go out on walks…because the weather's nice and all…" Nicole answered, hoping that Cassie would believe her.

"Oh, that's cool…" Cassie nodded again. "So, are you going to play Left 4 Dead tonight?"

Nicole thought about it for a moment. "Hopefully today!"

"That's great! We have to play versus! That's the first thing we're doing! I call being Bill!"

At first, Nicole immediately thought of her good friend, the Engineer, but then realized who Cassie was talking about. "Ha! That old man has no chance against the Hunter! I'll kick you butt so hard, that _you_ would feel it as you see my Hunter claw Bill to death!" she laughed.

"Oh yeah! Well, at least I have a machine gun!" Cassie defended herself.

"At least that I have an entire army of infected on my side!" Nicole bragged.

"After versus, do you want to work together on a level or something?" Cassie suggested.

"Yeah, we'll do that after I beat you a good couple of times." Nicole sneered, "And then I'll show you how awesome I am being Francis!"

Cassie sighed as she pulled out a chocolate bar from her jacket pocket. "Here, I think we need to change subjects here…" she moaned.

Nicole's eyes quickly focused on the bar. "Oooh! Hershey's!" she snatched it from Cassie's hand and began to unwrap the paper. "Thanks!"

Cassie smiled. "I knew you'd like it, chocoholic…"

Nicole straightened. "I'm proud to be one!" she smirked as she took a bite of the chocolate.

Cassie rolled her eyes. "You're weird…"

Nicole gave her friend a smug look as she swallowed. "Not as weird as you are."

"Okay, we're both weird, but that's makes us two peas in pod." Cassie added.

"Who says _that_ anymore?" Nicole questioned.

"I don't know, and I don't care!" Cassie pouted.

Nicole laughed. "You're such a spazz."

"Don't remind me…" Cassie growled, "Hey, how are your parents doing?" she asked.

"Why are you asking that all of a sudden?"

Cassie shrugged. "I dunno…"

Nicole sighed. "Well, they're doing fine, I guess, being busy all the freaking time…"

"Oh, I see. Why did both of them have to get jobs?"

"My dad wanted to be a lawyer and my mom wanted to be a doctor, so they're both living the dream. Besides, I think they want to make extra money."

"But they only have _you_ to take care of." Cassie added.

"Which makes my parents _that_ more mysterious than they should be…" Nicole sighed, taking another bite of the chocolate.

"Hey, speaking of mysteries, I already have your Christmas present!" Cassie said, completely changing the subject.

"You do? Well don't tell me what it is." Nicole said with a mouth full of chocolate.

"I wasn't, but I think you _will_ love it!" Cassie smiled.

Nicole swallowed. "Okay…" she looked over at the window to see the sun disappearing. "Well, I better get going…it's getting late and all…and you know my parents would freak out if they should up before I do."

Cassie nodded. "Yeah, I've noticed that too…"

Nicole stood up. "Again, thanks for inviting me over. It was nice talking to you."

"Nice talking to you to." Cassie smiled.

Nicole began to head to the front door. "See you soon!"

"See ya! Oh, and Nicole?"

Nicole looked over to her friend. "Yeah?"

"Do you want to come over for a sleepover soon?" Cassie asked.

"Sure, that would be nice." Nicole replied.

"I'll call you later."

"Alright, bye." Nicole said as she opened the door and headed out.

As soon as the door closed, Cassie immediately stood up and headed for the bathroom door towards her left. She turned the handle, but the door would not budge. "Hmm, that's odd…Is my mom in there?" Cassie said to herself, studying the door very carefully.

There was no response, expect for the lights at the other side of the door turning off.

Cassie shrugged. "Well, it's nothing to worry about right now, I got _way_ more important things to do. I have a craving to play Portal all of a sudden!" she immediately ran to the stairs. "I will be thinking with portals tonight! Ha ha!"

Meanwhile, on the other side of the bathroom door, the lights switched back on as a certain man in a red suit and mask uncloaked. "There, that's much better. I rather keep my presence a secret," he said quietly to himself. He leaned against the door as he took out a small notepad and pen. "Now…where was I?" he flipped the notepad open to a written page. "Ah, there it is…"

On top of the blank page, was 'things that Nicole likes' in a fancy cursive and written in red. He began writing at the middle of the page. Next to the first bullet, he wrote, 'chocolate, and lots of it'. "Hmm, quite strange that the petite fille has such an interesting craving…" he continued writing. The second bullet had the words 'attractive and shirtless men' next to it. "That shouldn't be too hard…" he chuckled menacingly, "I'll win Mademoiselle Nicole soon enough…"


	18. The Medic's Violin

_Author's Note: Hello, good people, it's time for an Anonymous Review Reply! :D_

_**Fire-Dragon10**: I know, right? I kind of fall into that catagory with Nikki too! XD I get fan-girl moments too. :) I wish I could do the same thing to Leon, except that I am afraid of Spies. Thanks for the review! **Damien**: *purrs* I'm very glad you like it. *continues licking*_

_**Animed2Fox**: If Cassie were to meet the Team, which won't happen, she would explode due to fan girl-nism. XD I would too if I met the Team, but I probably faint. LOL! Yeah...that would be kind of cool, since I like Gordon Freeman. Thanks for the review! :D_

_**petery132**: Congrats! You just made the 100th review! :D *hands a cookie* Yeah, but Leon does has his ways...he'll find a way to get her. 0_0 Thanks for the review!_

_And now here's the next chapter! Enjoy! _

* * *

Another bright morning had started, and Nicole was already starting to feel at home at the factory. "It won't take long until I make this a second home…" she said to herself.

"Ah, guten morgen, fraulein!"

Nicole looked over to see Klaus coming her way. "Hey, Klaus!"

The Medic smiled. "You're here early. Vhat for?"

Nicole shrugged. "I just felt like coming, it's no big deal." She noticed a book in his hands. "What are you reading?"

"Hm?" Klaus looked at his book. "Oh, it's nothing, fraulein…Just zome medical book, is all…"

"Do you read a lot?" Nicole asked.

Klaus nodded. "I love reading, it's one of my favorite pass times, besides performing zurgery and playing the violin."

Nicole's amber eyes sparkled. "You play the violin?"

Klaus grinned. "Ja, and I'm very good at it too. I can even play my bone saw!"

Nicole's smile disappeared. "You play…a bone saw?"

"Just like a violin." The Medic added.

Nicole shrugged. "Okay, that's cool!"

"Oi! Look who decided to drop by for a visit!" Angus joined the two. "How's our favorite lassie doin'?"

"Hi! Angus! I'm doing just fine. And you?"

"I couldn't be any better!" the Demoman laughed, "What are you two goin' aboot, anyhow?" he asked.

"It's nothing, Angus, I vas just telling ze fraulein that I play the violin."

"Why don't'cha go get it and show the wee lass what you can do?" Angus suggested.

Klaus shrugged. "Vell, I don't know…"

"Aww, c'mon, Medic, play some of that violin of yours…Do it for the lassie!" Angus begged.

Klaus sighed as he pushed his glasses back in place. "Alvight, alvight…I'll do it…" he left the two and headed upstairs.

"I've been dying to ask this one question…" Nicole said.

"And what's that, lass?" Angus inquired.

"Why does Klaus wear those rubber gloves all the time?"

Angus smirked. "Well, lass, our Medic is an opportunist. He's always prepared for a field surgery, just in case. He doesn't like to be not ready for the job."

Nicole nodded in understanding. "Oh, that makes sense."

In no time at all, Klaus came down the stairs with a black case. "I have it, hang on." He rejoined Nicole and Angus, opening the violin shaped case. "Here it is, my pride and joy." He held up a golden brown violin.

"Oooh, wow, that's really cool!" Nicole commented, being awed by the sheer beauty of the instrument.

"Danke…" Klaus smiled, as he grabbed the bow. "Now, I hope you enjoy this…" he played a few notes before playing fast-tempo music. It was full of energy and liveliness, and almost had an Irish feel to it.

"That's the way to do it!" Angus cheered, "C'mon, lassie, let's dance!"

"Wait a minute, what?" Nicole gave the Demoman a peculiar look.

Immediately, Angus grabbed Nicole by the hand and started to swing her around, dancing to the music. At first, Nicole was stunned by Angus' sudden action. But a smile appeared on her face as the moments passed by.

"There ya go, lass!" Angus smiled back.

Nicole laughed. "This is great!" she cheered, as she was spun around by the Demoman. But it all stopped as Angus stepped back. "What are you doing? I thought we were dancing…"

"Now it's your turn! Show us what'cha got, lassie!" Angus grinned, giving her a two-fingered salute.

Nicole frowned, looking over at the Medic. "What do I do? I don't dance that well!"

But Klaus kept playing his violin. "Go on, fraulein, dance! Raus, raus!"

Nicole sighed. "Alright…but it won't be very good…" she began to tap her feet against the floor, but it didn't take long for her to be hopping around. She blushed of embarrassment as she twirled around.

"See? You're doin' it, Nicole! That a girl!" Angus gave her a 'thumbs up'.

"Good going, fraulein! You're not too bad!" Klaus added, continuing to play his instrument.

Nicole smiled as her confidence grew. She continued to dance along with the beat. No longer blushing, she began to go along with the music, hopping along with the rhythm. "This almost feels like I'm in Ireland or something..." she said.

"Just to tell ya, I'm from Scotland!" Angus corrected.

Nicole quickly glanced at the Demoman. "You are?"

"Aye, it be true, lass! I have ye old Scotsman's blood runnin' in me veins, and I'm quite proud!" Angus answered.

Nicole smiled sheepishly, still dancing along to the Medic's tune.

"Woo-wee! Would you look at that! I had no idea you had this in ya, Nikki!" Bill joined the small crowd.

Klaus stopped playing the violin. "Guten morgen, Herr Engineer!" he smiled at Bill.

Nicole instantly stopped dancing and blushed once again. "Hi, Bill…"

"Why do ya look so ashamed? You were great."

Nicole scoffed. "Are you kidding me?" she crossed her arms. "It wasn't that good…"

Bill laughed. "C'mon, Nikki, you looked like you were havin' a good time there."

Nicole grinned. "Well…I kind of was…" she turned over to Klaus. "That was wonderful, Klaus. I loved it!"

Klaus nodded. "Danke, fraulein."

"I think the lass did a fine job dancin' aboot." Angus said, giving Nicole a pat on the back.

Nicole laughed weakly. "Aww, thanks…I guess. I mean, I'm trying to tell you it wasn't that good."

"Oi, don't be so down, lassie, you did better than I can."

Nicole gave a confused look at the Demoman. "What do you mean?"

"I'm drunk, Nicole, so my moves aren't as coordinated as they should be. Now imagine if I wasn't drunk." Angus snickered.

Nicole frowned. "Oh…I see…I think that's kind of hard for me to do that."

Angus laughed. "I bet it is!"

"So, what was goin' on over here?" The Engineer asked.

"I vas showing ze fraulein my violin." Klaus explained.

"And it turned into a hoedown?"

The Medic shrugged. "I zuppose you can say zhat." He grinned.

"I bet that sounded like fun." Bill smiled.

"I wonder if Klaus can play the _Devil Went Down to Georgia_, I would be so impressed…" Nicole thought out loud.

"Vhat are you talking about?" Klaus asked.

"Well, if I told you, you wouldn't get it…" Nicole explained.

Klaus sighed. "Fine…"

"Maybe I should teach ya how to square dance." Bill suggested.

Nicole shook her head. "Nah, I can't dance…"

"You're just too scared to admit it?"

Nicole shook her head. "I'm not telling…"

The Engineer shrugged. "Alright then, that's as far as I'm goin'."

"Anyway," Nicole looked over at Klaus, "How long have you've been playing the violin?"

"Oh, for a long, long time, fraulein." Klaus answered, putting away the violin back in the case, "I can't tell you how long I've been playing…It took me about twenty years to perfect it."

Nicole nodded in understanding. "Oh, I see…that's really interesting. I'm still practicing on my clarinet."

"How long have you played your instrument?" Bill asked.

"Let's see…I started in middle school, so it's been about six years now." Nicole explained, "But I feel really comfortable with it."

Klaus smiled as he patted Nicole on the head. "It's alvight, fraulein, you'll get there."

Nicole frowned. "But…I'm only in the school band until I'm fully through with high school."

"I…zee…" Klaus gave Nicole a flattened look.

Nicole laughed as she patted The Medic on the back. "It's alright, Klaus, it's called earning my credits for graduation."


	19. Léon's Surprise

_Author's Note: Alright then! It's time once again for the Anonymous Review Reply!_

_**Fire-Dragon10**: YES! DDR TIME! LOL! No kidding, the Medic's already awesome at playing his bonesaw. XD Yeah, if I met the team, I'd probaly faint or spazz out...but I know I'll glomp Engy! X3 Sweet! That sounds like a good plan! Thanks for the review! **Damien: **Prrrr... *holds you close*_

_**Animed2Fox**: You will find out...XD Thanks for the review!_

_**fred the fish**: WOOT! GUITAR HERO FTW! LOL! That's what the Medic would say! Yes! I like Medic, and he deserved to have a bit of attention. :) Ah, there's no slash in this story. Thanks for the review!_

_**petery 132**: Yes! Yes you did! You're welcome! Hmm, I can't let them meet Cassie...yet. But thanks for the review!_

_OH! BTW, I have fan art of my own! I have finally posted up my drawings of Damien on DeviantArt. So if you want to go check it out, I'll go put up links onto my profile. But if you want do fan art as well, let me know so I can put up your links on my profile!_

_But anyway, here's the next chapter. Enjoy!_

* * *

Nicole opened the front door to her house. "Hello? Is anybody in here?" she called.

There was no response, except for the loud meows of her cat coming from upstairs.

"Well, I guess it's official…Nobody snuck into the house this time!" she smiled as she closed the door behind her. Then, it came to her. "Wait a minute…why are all the lights off? This is ridiculous! I thought I only switched the main light to the living room off! Already on a noon? Who could have done this?" she slowly stepped into the living room. "H-Hello?" she called softly. "Is anybody _seriously_ here?"

Nicole then noticed a figure sitting on the couch. Whoever it was, the shaded character was facing away from her. At first, she couldn't tell who it was. "Uhh, c-can I help you?"

The man turned to face her. "Ahh, bonjour, ma petite chéri."

Nicole turned pale. "Oh…crap…" she muttered, realizing who her 'guest' was.

He rose and came up to her. "What do jou think, mademoiselle?"

Nicole instantly turned away, not wanting to look at him. "W-Why are you here?" she demanded, her eyes widening in shock.

It was Léon, standing before her. He wore his usual attire, but the only thing missing was his shirt and coat, completely exposing his chest. "What's wrong, chéri? Am I…intimidating jou?" he sneered.

Nicole knew her face was bright red. "Umm, sort of…?" she started to tremble violently.

"There, there, chéri, I'm not going to harm jou." Léon came up from behind her, wrapping his arms around her.

Nicole flinched, feeling his warm, bare skin against her clothed back. She felt her heart race wildly in her chest. "You tell me that, but do you mean it?"

Léon grinned. "But of course…" he held a chocolate kiss wrapped in foil to Nicole's face. "'Ere, I think jou'll like this."

Nicole's expression turned from fear to content. "Oh! Uh, t-thanks!" she quickly took the chocolate, unwrapped the foil, and popped the candy in her mouth. She remained silent as she enjoyed her candy. Once she swallowed, her expression returned to terror. "Can you tell me why you decided to show up again?"

Léon shrugged. "It's nothing, really. I just wanted to see you, my dear."

Nicole frowned. "Yeah, I've noticed…but why are you not wearing a shirt?"

Léon smiled, giving her a kiss on the cheek. "It's my personal business…unless jou are _dying_ to know." He chuckled.

Nicole's heart skipped a beat. "No…n-not really…"

"Very well then, I suppose some things are better left unsaid, no?" Léon's arms tucked under Nicole's breasts, hugging around her, and his head rested on her's.

Nicole made a tiny squeak. She knew that trying to free herself would only tighten the Spy's grip on her. Uncomfortably, she remained still.

"My, my, aren't jou tense…" Léon said, noticing her frozen position. "I can feel your heart beating. Is there something wrong?"

Nicole remained quiet, hoping not to continue the topic.

"Hm, I see…You need to relax, chéri." Léon pulled his arms back, but grabbed her by the shoulders and began to massage her back.

Nicole's shoulders instantly slumped down. Her mind went completely blank and couldn't think of anything else to say.

"That's much better." Léon smiled, continuing to rub her back.

Nicole felt her heart rate slow down a bit. She shivered every time his gloved hands touched the back of her neck. She knew how badly she wanted to move away from him, but she also knew that he wouldn't give her any other choice.

"Do jou feel better?" Léon asked.

Nicole said not a single word.

"Maybe another chocolate would make everything better…" Léon took another chocolate kiss from his pant pocket and unwrapped the foil before popping it in Nicole's mouth.

Just as he predicted, Nicole quietly and peacefully ate her candy. "Uhhh, s-sure…" she swallowed.

"Now," Léon continued, "what shall we do next, ma chéri?"

"Let me go?" Nicole inquired, slowing trying to inch away from Léon.

But the Spy kept his grip on her. "And make my visit worth _nothing_? That would be _rude_, my dear." He pulled her back towards him.

Nicole sighed, knowing that she hated being rude. "Okay, I think this is going a little out of hand…Can you at least put on _a_ shirt or something? I-I'm starting to get a little uncomfortable."

"Aww, is that so? Well then, let me help jou with that." Léon began to guide Nicole further into the living room, being a tad forceful. "Go ahead and sit down, chéri, you'll be more comfortable."

"N-No thanks, I'll just-" Before Nicole could finish her sentence, Léon grabbed her by the shoulders and pushed her down. "Okay…" she sat down with no other objections.

Léon sat down next to her right, putting his arm around her. "Feel better yet?"

Nicole shrugged. "Honestly, I don't know what to say right now…"

"Hmm, jou're not acting like yourself at all. Are jou sure there is nothing wrong?" Léon questioned.

Nicole did not respond. She only looked straight ahead, staring at the window quietly.

"Let me guess…" The Spy thought for a moment. "Are jou…afraid?"

Nicole looked over at Léon, giving him a worried look. "What makes you say that?" she demanded, trying not to sound horrified.

"It's easy to tell, ma chéri." Leon answered with a smirk.

Nicole blinked in surprise. "It…is?"

Léon laughed. "But of course. Just look at yourself, you're face is bright red, jou're shaking like mad, and you're not responding as much as I 'oped."

Nicole touched her face. "I'm still blushing?"

Léon gave another kiss on her cheek. "It's alright, my dear, don't be ashamed to show your true feelings."

Nicole jumped in alarm. "What true feelings? I'm scared to death right now! That's what I feel right now!"

Léon pulled Nicole closer to him. "Don't be afraid, chéri, it's natural for you to be scared right now when dealing with love."

Nicole frowned upon hearing the word 'love'. "Why? Were you scared on _your_ first time?"

Léon glared at Nicole, shaking his head. "I'm not talking about myself, right now. I'm saying that I'm not surprised to see you afraid of moi."

"But…why?"

"Every other woman I've met acted as if they were afraid of me we I first met them." Léon explained.

Nicole's skin turned pale in seconds. "Oh…r-really?"

Léon nodded. "Oui, but they got used to me after a while or so. They usually adored me after the affairs we would have and the times we would spend together…" he sighed of content, "Ahh, such wonderful memories…"

Nicole felt her stomach drop, imagining the worst. "Okay…"

"But I want _ours_ to be the most memorable." Léon added, as he began to pet Nicole's right cheek.

Nicole instantly froze upon his touch. "Y-You do?"

"But of course, after all, jou are the sweetest petite fille I ever met." Léon chuckled darkly.

Nicole gulped. "Oh…I see…" she remained still with as much self-discipline she had left in her, "S-Should I take that as a…compliment?"

"Oui, you should." Leon answered, leaning against her.

Nicole desperately tried not to move, knowing the consequences if she moved just one inch. "Ummm…do you mind if I have some personal space here?"

"What's wrong, ma chéri?" Léon asked, smirking, "You're still breathing, aren't jou?"

"I guess…but-"

But the RED Spy interrupted her by putting another chocolate kiss in her mouth. "Shh, you're fine. There's nothing to worry about."

Once again, Nicole quietly ate her little chocolate candy, not objecting to anything or even showing any sign of defiance. "What are you trying to do?" she asked after swallowing, "Are you trying to make me fat or something?"

Léon laughed. "Of course not, I'm only making jou feel better. I thought jou like chocolate."

Nicole shrugged. "Well…I suppo-" she frowned, realizing something. "Hey, wait a minute! I _never_ told you that I liked chocolate! You don't even have any evidence!" she glared right at the Spy, giving her a suspicious look, "How the heck did _you_ find out?"

"You know, chéri, it's because…" Léon paused, staring deep into her amber eyes with his pale-blue ones.

Nicole's glare turned into a worried look. "Because of what?" she asked.

Then, without warning, Léon grabbed her and yanked her towards him, locking his lips with hers.

Nicole squeaked in terror, stunned by the Spy's sudden move. She tried to move her head away from him, but Leon was persistent. He began to lean on her, pressing his chest against hers. Being as weak as she was, Nicole fell back. Léon was on top of her, forcibly making out with her. Nicole tried to move her arms up to shove him away, but his hands were pressed down against her wrists, not allowing her to move. She was trapped and had no other way out of her horrible situation. The only miracle she found was that Léon had kept his pants on.

Finally, after what seemed to be a little over five minutes. Léon pulled back, stilling lying on top of her. "It's because I am a Spy…_ma_ petite chou-fleur."

Nicole gave the Spy a confused look. "What? What did you just call me?"

"In time, I will tell jou. But for now, I must be going…My colleagues must be wondering where I am."

"I bet they are! You better tell the truth!" Nicole snapped.

Angrily, Léon grabbed Nicole by the throat. "I don't think so, _chéri_. That would ruin everything." he hissed, baring his teeth.

Nicole gasped for breath as she felt his gloved fingers coil around her neck. "Ack! P-Please…let go…C-Can't…breathe…"

Léon released her, frowning at her. "Then I suggest you keep quiet and let me do everything else…Or do I have to remind jou one more time?" he snarled viciously.

Nicole shook her head nervously. "N-No, sir…I f-fully understand…"

Léon smirked, getting off from Nicole and off the couch. "Very good." He headed towards the table, where his shirt and coat were lying. "I'll be seeing you very soon, _ma_ petite chou-fleur." He grabbed his clothes and vanished. "_Hehehe…be ready, petite chou-fleur, I will be coming back for more..._"

Nicole laid on the couch quietly, until she heard the door open and then close. Once she knew she was alone, she began to sob. "I'm scared! I don't want Léon to get me again! It's no wonder all the women he met were so afraid of him!" She sat up, sniffling. "I…I want…I want Jèrèmie…he's more caring than Léon is…And where did Léon get all that chocolate from?" she stood up and headed towards the kitchen table, noticing a bowl full of the Hershey's Kisses. "How did he even find out? He also must have known about my weakness with shirtless guys." She snapped her fingers. "He must have spied on me when I was at Cassie's yesterday! There's no other explanation for it!" she grabbed the bowl of chocolates and started to eat the candies. "I'm going to take a shower…a freaking _long_ shower…"


	20. Central Park Archery

_Author's Note: It's time once again for the Anonymous Review Reply!_

_**Fire-Dragon 10**: LOL! It was terrifying hot! XP If I saw that, I would faint...Cause I'm afraid of Spies. And you're about to find out right now! :D Thanks for the review! Hey, that would be a great idea! **Damien: ***purrs* It's alright...I won't hurt you._

_**fred the fish**: I know, right? It would have been ten times worse if Leon did NOT keep his pants on. XP LOL! That would be funny! But Cassie might spazz out if she did meet the Team. XD Thanks for the review!_

_**petery132**: Thanks. Actually, I do know where I'm going with this story. I wrote 30 chapters ahead during the summer. But thanks for the review, no offense taken. I would love to add you on Steam, but I don't have an account yet. I'll let you know when I do. _

_**Radiationcat**: Yes, I did know that, thank you. I go to TF2Wiki all the time. :) It's kind of fun to have the Engineer's name Dell. Thanks for the review._

_**Animed2Fox**: Yes, I want to beat Leon too. XP Yes I know there's a lot of drama...is that a bad thing? XP But anyway, thanks for the review! :D_

_And now here's the next chapter. Oh, BTW, if you are going to review, please **DO NOT **send flames, spams, etc. I do not appreciate flames, spams, and such other nonsense. Thank you._

* * *

"So…Benny, why did you take me to Central Park again?" Nicole asked.

The Sniper grinned. "You'll find out, mate."

It was a bright and cloudy afternoon out in the park. Benny and Nicole stood across from a ringed target set. Benny held a bow in one hand and an arrow in the other.

Nicole looked over at the target that was ten feet away. "So…what's with the target?"

"Well, Shelia, I'm gonna teach you all about archery." Benny explained.

"But I've tried that at a camp several years ago." Nicole said.

One of Benny's eyebrows rose. "Did ya actually hit the bull's-eye?" he asked.

With a sigh, Nicole shook her head. "No…"

"Did you even hit the target at all?"

Nicole shrugged her shoulders. "I can't remember that much of it."

Benny chuckled. "Don't worry, mate, I'm gonna help ya get better at archery with my Huntsman." he held the bow up to Nicole. "Go on, take it."

Reluctantly, Nicole took the Huntsman. "This is kind of cool!"

"Here," Benny gave the arrow to Nicole. "you're going to need this too."

Nicole grabbed the arrow gently. "Yeah, thanks." she smiled sheepishly.

"Do you know how to aim correctly?" Benny asked.

"Kind of…" Nicole replied, as she put the arrow and bow together, holding the Huntsman with her left hand. She pulled the string towards her face with a slightly bent arm, pointing the arrow at the target. "Like this, right?"

"Nah, mate, you're doing it wrong." Benny came up to Nicole. "Pull your arm back a little more." he grabbed her arm and pulled it back a little.

Nicole nodded in understanding. "Okay, got it!"

"Now move the bow up some." Benny took the arm of the Huntsman and lifted it a few inches.

Nicole nodded again. "Alright."

"Now, since you're apparently right-eye dominant, I want ya to aim for the target with your right eye."

"Oh, uh, okay…" Nicole frowned.

"What's wrong?" Benny asked, giving Nicole a concerned looked.

"Well, I'm not a good at aiming in situations like this. I'm much better in video games…Besides, are you sure that it will be alright to be doing archery in the middle of Central Park?"

"Well, Shelia, I don't know about that first one with those game videos, but I'm absolutely positive that it'll be alright. I don't see anyone else, do you?"

Nicole glanced around. "No…not really."

"Then you have nothing to worry, about mate. Alright," Benny continued, "aim with your right eye. Focus on that target and go for the bull's-eye."

"I'll try…" Nicole responded with little confidence. Her drawing hand released the string, sending the arrow flying. But it only went a few feet before diving into the grass.

"Eh…I guess a distance of two feet isn't a bad start. But you'll get there." Benny said.

Nicole sighed. "I knew that I was going to suck on my first try." she groaned, heading to retrieve the arrow.

Benny frowned. "What kind of shonkey attitude is that?"

Nicole walked over to the Sniper. "What do you mean?"

"Come on, mate, don't discourage yourself. That's a terrible habit, and it won't get you anywhere, that's for sure. How do you think I survived in the Outback all by myself for months?"

Nicole blinked in surprise. "With an opportunist's attitude, right?" she guessed.

"Precisely that, Shelia," Benny nodded. "and I want you to learn from your mistakes and keep going. Now, do you know what you did wrong?" he questioned.

Nicole thought for a moment. "My…posture wasn't right…?"

"Good thinking! Try fixing your posture and see if it helps." Benny advised.

Nicole nodded as she spread her feet out a little bit and faced the target. She put the arrow back in its place before pulling the string to her face again. Nicole stood straighter than before and more erect. "Is this good, Benny?"

Benny gave her a curt nod. "Nice one, mate!"

Nicole smiled. "Thanks, but I don't I'll do any better…" she released the string. The arrow flew across the field, hitting the target at its edge.

"Well done! That was a fine improvement, mate!" Benny clapped.

Nicole smiled. "Hey! I guess that was a little better…"

Benny took another arrow from the case strapped on to his back. "Take this arrow, it saves more time."

Nicole took the arrow and put it with the Huntsman. "So, what's the point of this, anyway?" she asked.

"I think ya need to learn how to use weapons, since you're with us. Besides, I'm trying to see what weapon you're best at."

Nicole scoffed. "At least I'm better using at archery than with a sniper rifle."

Benny laughed, replaying Nicole's sniper failure back at the Badlands in his mind. "That's a good point. But try again, and try to hit the bull's-eye this time!"

Nicole repositioned herself to the proper stance. Her eyes narrowed, focusing on the center of the target. She pulled the string back a bit further than before, aimed the arrow with as much precision as possible. "Focus…" she said to herself quietly, "Focus…" she let go of the string. The arrow almost zoomed horizontally, piecing the target. Nicole cheered as the arrow was nailed at the bull's-eye. "YES! I DID IT! I CAN'T BELIEVE IT!"

"Superior shot…"

Nicole's pride turned to shock as she turned around to see the RED Spy appear right behind her. "Waah!" she cowered behind the Sniper, still holding on to the Huntsman. "W-What are you doing here?"

Benny frowned. "Holy dooley! You're more jumpy than before, what's up, Shelia?" he asked.

Léon sighed, adjusting his tie. "Isn't she always like that?"

Benny shrugged. "Yeah, she's _incredibly_ paranoid."

Nicole glared up at Benny. "Thanks for telling him that…" she said sarcastically.

Léon smiled. "Don't worry, mademoiselle, I figured that out from the first time I met jou."

Nicole whimpered, hiding behind the safety of the tall Sniper.

"Is there something wrong with ya, mate?" Benny asked with a worried tone.

"What is it that you fear, chéri?" Léon asked, trying to sound concerned.

Nicole remained silent for a while, trying to think of the right thing to say. "It's nothing really, Léon…reminds me of someone."

"Who?" Benny asked.

Léon kept a flat look, watching Nicole very carefully.

Nicole swallowed. "He reminds me of…this really creepy taxi cab driver…"

Benny gave Nicole a confused look. "Really?" he took a quick glance at the Spy before looking back down at Nicole.

Nicole nodded. "Y-Yeah, he kind of does…I don't know why." she smiled shyly at Benny.

Léon frowned, not saying a word. He continued to quietly stare Nicole.

Benny grinned. "How come? Did this driver also have a mask on?" he asked jokingly.

Suddenly, all three began laughing at the comment. Nicole's laugh was rather weak as she tried to play along. She knew that this was completely awkward.

"Chéri, come over here." Léon finally spoke.

With no other choice, Nicole hesitantly made her way towards the Spy.

"You don't have to be afraid of me, my dear," Léon explained, smiling at the girl, "I am a friend, and you can always come to me if you need anything." he placed a gloved hand on her shoulder.

Nicole flinched, but kept a slightly uncomfortable smile. "Umm, sure…" she noticed right away that Léon's smile wasn't real.

"Aww, now ain't that sweet?" Benny smirked, turning away from the two and headed towards the target.

Once the Sniper tuned his back on them, Nicole and Léon's smiles instantly vanished. Léon's hand on her shoulder tightened its grip. The Spy glared at her as Nicole's expression turned to terror. It was hard for her to turn away from his icy stare. Leon's pale eyes locked with Nicole's amber ones, giving her a warning look. Although he said not a single word, Nicole knew exactly what he meant.

Benny took his arrows and headed back to the two. As if on cue, both Léon and Nicole's smiles reappeared. The grip on her shoulder loosened. The Spy hugged her, gently wrapping his arms around her and pulling her towards him.

"I'm always going to be there for you, chéri," Léon whispered in Nicole's ear, "no matter what."

Nicole could feel a slight chill. "T-Thanks…" she said flatly.

"See, Shelia? Léon's a great Spy, isn't he?" Benny rejoined the group.

Nicole slowly nodded. "You have _no_ idea…" she answered, wanting to add more to her statement.


	21. Blueprints of Memories

_Author's Note: Here's the Anonymous Review Reply!_

_**Fire-Dragon10**: Yeah, Nicole almost gave it away...that would have been bad. She could, but Damien's kind of busy with two boys at the time. XP And no, I do not have a Yahoo Messanger. I'm sorry. But thanks for the review! **Damien**: *purrs loudly* :3_

**_Animed2Fox_**_: Don't worry, justice will be served. Not now, but much later. LOL! That would be so cool, but her parents might question why she's acting all paranoid. Thanks for the review! **Damien**: ...? Who are you? *glare*_

_**petery132**: Thanks! Not to worry, it'll keep going. Unfortunately, it does mean that I do not have TF2 yet. I'm very sad because of it. ;_;_

_**of bows and arrows**: Woot! Yes, pratice does make perfect! :D Thanks, I tried to make it really good. Yeah, I'm trying to include everyone of the RED Team so they won't feel left out. Yeah, I liked Heavy and Scout too. You'll be happy to know that this chapter DOES have Bill in it. XD Thanks for the review!_

_And now, here's the next chapter!_

* * *

As she closed the door behind her, Nicole glanced about in the old factory. She noticed it was starting to change appearance, looking more like an unusually neat warehouse than an abandoned factory. It was a cold and windy morning outside, Nicole tucked inside her black jacket. She noticed the Engineer pass by. "Good morning, Bill!" she waved.

Bill stopped and turned. "Howdy, Nikki! Good to see ya!"

Nicole came up to the Engineer. "How's it going?"

"I'm still workin' on the second U.T. and fixin' up this place." Bill answered, "But I'm doing just fine, thank you. What about you, missy?"

"I'm doing good, thanks." Nicole smiled.

"What's the occasion of visiting this time?" Bill asked.

"There's no real occasion," Nicole explained, "it's just that I enjoy seeing you and the other guys."

"Well that's no big surprise." Bill laughed.

Nicole giggled. "What was your first clue?" she teased.

Bill chuckled. "I don't have to tell you."

Nicole gave the Engineer a confused look. "How come?"

"'Cause I think we both know that we are all really good friends."

"Awww, that's so sweet of you!" Nicole hugged Bill. "I'm happy to have a good friend like you who listens to me."

Bill hugged back. "Why thank you, and I'm grateful to have met you too."

Nicole's smile grew, knowing that she could trust such a gentle and honest man. "Thank you…"

Bill pulled back. "So…what do you want to do?"

Nicole shrugged. "Eh, I don't know. I thought you were busy."

"I can take a break, can't I?" Bill smirked.

"Okay, so what do you want to do right now?"

"I asked first, Nikki."

"Hey, it's not about me, I'm just wondering if you have any ideas."

Bill thought for a moment. "How about…if I should you some old blueprints of some early projects I created?"

Nicole nodded in approval. "Sounds good to me."

"C'mon over with me, I'll show ya what I got with me." Bill started to head towards the stairs, with Nicole not too far behind. "I was going to throw some of the old blueprints away." He said.

"But why?" Nicole questioned.

"Well, they weren't my best designs and the buildings themselves were even worse..." Bill smiled sheepishly.

"Who said that I was going to judge you?" Nicole grinned, giving the Engineer a reassuring look.

"I'm not saying that, it's just weird for me too see such early work. I mean, I've improved while with the RED Team." Bill explained.

Nicole nodded in understanding. "Ah, I see…I know how you feel. When I draw, it's hard for me to look at the old work when I've improved so much."

"You draw?" Bill took a quick glance at Nicole.

"Sure do, my style of drawing is…hm," Nicole paused for a brief moment. "I can't explain it with words. But I'll be happy to show you some other time."

Coming to the second floor, Bill and Nicole walked down the hallway. Nicole glanced about at the walls and doors, which all were mostly covered in some type of red paint. "I see you've been painting a lot, too." She commented.

"You like it? I've being trying to make this place more like our Base back at the Fortress." Bill clarified.

"I love it!" Nicole happily replied, "It's a very nice touch."

"Thanks, missy."

At the end of the hallway was an entrance to a new room. Nicole stepped in. "Hey, where's the door? Isn't this your room?" she inquired.

"Not exactly, it's more like my garage. This is where I do most of my work."

In the center was a rectangular machine with wires and computers connected to it. Nicole recognized it as the Engineer's second U.T. "That's it?" she pointed at the machine.

Bill nodded. "Sure is, and it'll make things a lot easier for us to come here."

"How come it's taking you faster to build this than the first one back at your base?" Nicole asked.

"You see, now I know the proper way to build the Universal Teleporter, it's much easier for me to build a second model, you understand?"

Nicole nodded. "Oh…I get it."

Bill came up to his desk, collecting several blueprints. "Here they all are, I'm surprised that I left them here. Come here and see for yourself, Nikki!"

Nicole joined Bill's side, watching him unravel one of the blueprints. "What's that one?"

The blueprints showed designs of a machine with simple-looking turret guns and crab-like legs. Bill scoffed upon seeing this. "Well, this was my idea of a walkin' sentry. When I built it back in '67, it didn't even last a minute."

Nicole laughed. "Wow, was it that bad?"

"Sure was, the legs couldn't even support the body of the sentry itself. So I had to drop the project." Bill rolled the blueprint back up and put it aside before unraveling another. "Now what's this one…Oh!" he smirked as he saw the designs of a turret gun with helicopter propellers at the top. "Now this was an embarrassment." He laughed.

"It that a gun built like a helicopter?" Nicole asked.

"Yep, and it was a disaster. Right as the prototype took off flying, it crashed as it reached little over six feet and it burst into flames right on impact. This was supposed to be a flying sentry." He rolled the blueprint back up and placed it with the first one. "It's a little funny to me to see all of this now."

"Oh, do you want to stop?" Nicole asked.

Bill shook his head. "No, it's alright. I enjoy looking at these. It's like…looking at an old photo album." He unrolled a third blueprint. "Now this right here was my first model of the sentry I currently build."

Nicole looked over at the designs of a box unfolding into a machine gun. "That's cool!"

"I drew this out a year before I perfected the sentry models." Bill added, "See? It even shows the other two levels." He pointed at the different designs.

"Wow! That's pretty neat! We don't even have this kind of stuff!" Nicole said.

Bill looked down at Nicole, giving her a peculiar look. "What do you mean?"

"Well, at the Fortress in your time, you have those cool looking sentries and Mediguns and those other weapons I've never heard of before. Even the Spy has that neat disguise kit and cloak. To me, it's all in the latest technology. But here in my time, those weapons don't even exist."

"Really?" Bill frowned, "That is kind of strange."

"I know right? Our engineers should be more like you, building such neat stuff like those sentries back at your base."

"You're right, although I did not build the Medic's Medigun and syringe gun or the Spy's tools, I think it would be swell to help you guys."

Nicole laughed. "Yeah, that would be pretty cool."

"But that would also be kind of impossible since I have a job to attend to back at our base. Plus, I can't live in this time period."

Nicole shrugged. "That's true…"

"But I can always visit." Bill added, patting Nicole's head.

Nicole giggled. "That's also true, and I appreciate that!"

"So, what do you want to do now?" Bill asked.

Nicole thought for a moment. "Do you mind I…help you out for a bit?" she suggested.

Bill grinned. "Sounds good to me, Nikki."

Nicole looked up at the Engineer's goggles. Although she couldn't tell what his eyes were like, she knew that the rest of his expression was pure delight.


	22. Ganged Up

_Author's Note: It's time for the Anonymous Review Reply again! :D_

_**Fire-Dragon 10**: They're just building the second U.T., that's all. Oh yeah, LOL! Nah, she won't build anymore sentries. I know, right? Kyle would definately do something like that. My KittyTentaSpy is doing just fine. He likes to sleep with me and keeps all the pests out. :3 He's such a sweet boy! Thanks for the review! **Damien:** Merci. I don't know what would hurt me. You're such a sweet petite fille. *purrs*_

_**of bows and arrows**: Thanks! I came up with them out from the top of my head. :) Really? That's cool. When you mean the Masked Wonder, are you takling about the RED Spy, BLU Spy, or TentaSpy. Well, the only thing I can say is there is a Spy in this chapter. :P Thanks for the review! :D_

**_Animed2Fox:_**_ LOL! They would have been awesome in the Engie Update! Yep, her parents would have a heart attack if they found her missing. So she has to be REALLY careful on time. Thanks for the review! **Damien:** *hisses* Why you-! Why is she your girlfriend if she accepts me? *slashes at you* Stay back, I'm warning you! *growls*_

_**petery132**: I'll try to get Steam soon, although I don't know when. Cool! You're writing a story too? Great! As for tips, just follow what's in your mind and research the topic really well. That's what helped me when I'm writing chapters for this story. Thanks for the review! And good luck! ;)_

_And now here's the next chapter! Enjoy!_

* * *

After a long day working with the Engineer, Nicole headed back home on a cool afternoon. She walked on the sidewalk as she watched the sun sink from the darkening sky. Her violet shirt was covered in oil stains and her jeans had dirt, dust, and more oil all over them. The only clean thing she wore was her jacket, which was a nice, smooth black. "My brain hurts from thinking way too much…" Nicole moaned quietly to herself, "So many complicated words…" she smiled, "Next time, I'm only going to help do the clean up and paint jobs…"

She walked passed a darkened alleyway. "Huh, that's weird…there's nobody here practically…Should I even be here?" Nicole glanced about at the empty sidewalk. "Darn! I knew I should have left earlier. Why did I even go this way?"

"Hey you!"

Nicole looked over towards her right to see one of three men in gray hood jacket and jeans with chain links coming right at her. She faced forward and continued on, ignoring them completely.

"Stop right where you are, kid!" the first man came right up to her in behind. "Give us all your money!"

Nicole didn't face the stranger nor said a word. She felt a rough hand grip her shoulder and she was forcibly turned around. Even though she was shocked with anxiety, she knew that facing a Frenchman in red with a cloaking device and a lust for her was far worse than facing a few random guys on the street wanting her money. Even the crazed BLU Medic she encountered back at the Fortress was much more intimidating to her.

The man she faced wore a red ski cap over his head. Stubble was all over his face. His thick blonde hair was madden and drenched in sweat. Droopy, brown eyes stared coldly at her. "I said give me all da money you got!" he snapped with a slur.

Nicole glared back. "I'm broke, so why don't you pick on someone your own size!" she immediately knew that he was drunk.

The other two men surrounded her. "Let's take 'er out back, so we can discuss this more elaborately." a man suggested with spiky brown hair with blue highlights, baggy clothes, and beady green eyes.

"Yeah!" agreed another with dirty red hair, clothes covered in dirt and stains, and worn blue eyes.

Nicole sighed heavily. Although it wasn't the first time being forcefully dragged away, it was the first time she was surrounded with college-aged men who were drunk, pitiful-looking, and appeared to have no jobs of their own. "I'm wasting time…" she moaned, beginning to walk away.

"Oh no you don't!" the blonde man gripped her shoulder even tighter. "You are going to come with us, kid!"

Nicole's only response was a raised eyebrow. "And what makes give you the authority to say that, you miserable drunk?" she demanded, trying not to sound completely hopeless and out of ideas.

With no other words, the three gruesome men dragged her away into the alleyway, taking her further away from the light and into the dark. Nicole tried to keep calm, not wanting to show fear to her 'captors'.

The man dragging her pushed her against the war, pinning her in place. "Okay, now listen, I'm in a lot of need of money. And if you don't give me what ya got, you are gonna be in a world of pain! Do you understand that? Do ya?"

"I said for the last time, I have no money." Nicole snapped.

"Oh, so that's how it's going to be, huh?" the blonde man snarled, baring his yellowish teeth.

"Hey, show 'er Miss Liberty!" the red head suggested, "Maybe she'll change her mind."

The blonde looked over at his companion. "Good idea!" he whipped out a pocket knife and unfolded. "You see this, kid? This is Miss Liberty, and if you don't cooperate with us, you are gonna see why this little beauty is called 'Miss Liberty'. Now, give us what ya got."

Nicole frowned. "I said I have nothing. Are you too drunk to understand that? I can check my pockets to prove that if you like."

"Forget about it! Just cut open her throat and take what she's got!" the man with brown and blue hair growled. "I'm tired of waitin'!"

"Alright, alright!" The blonde hair snapped. He pressed the knife against Nicole's neck. "We warned ya, sweetie, and it's quite sad to kill off a pretty little thing like yourself."

Nicole gave her offender a flat look. "How much beer did you have last night?" she asked, "I mean seriously…are you _that_ drunk or something?"

The blonde grimaced. "Shut up!" he pressed the blade even closer to her neck.

Nicole closed her eyes, waiting for the pain and the quick feeling of warm blood oozing down her throat before her death.

"THAT IS ENOUGH!"

All four looked over to see another figure coming down the ally in their direction.

"Who's this loser?" asked the red head.

"I don't care, just get rid of 'im." The blonde rolled his eyes in frustration.

Nicole's eyes opened, focusing on the approaching man. "Is that…?"

The red head nodded and approached the newcomer. "Who are you? The bank is just across the street if you're lookin' to rob it." He commented as he noticed his blue suit and mask.

"No, m'sieur, I've come for her." The newcomer pointed at Nicole. "Release her, now!"

"Can't you see there's a line?" The brown and blue haired man barked, "If you want what she has, you're going to have to wait in line like the rest of us!"

Nicole gasped, releasing who this was. "J-Jèrèmie…?"

The blonde drunk gave a peculiar look to Nicole. "Oh, so you know this guy?" he gave a curt nod at the red head. "Kill 'im."

The red head took out his gun from his coat pocket and pulled the trigger. In the split of a second, Jèrèmie plopped down to the ground like a rag doll. Nicole screamed as she saw his lifeless body. "NO!"

"I SAID SHUT UP!" the blonde yelled, becoming more frustrated.

"C'mon, we don't have all night to do this! Just kill 'er and get this over with!" the red head complained, "I'm tired and sick of all these interruptions!"

The blonde nodded. "Yeah, let's get this over with."

That's when a distinctive, yet mysterious chime was heard. Just then, before anyone can expect anything else, a loud cry of agony was heard. The three looked over to see the brown and blue haired man fall dead on his chest. The red head quickly came up to him. His back was bleeding, staining the grayish hood. "What the-?" the red head looked around to see where it came from.

"_I don't play around, you simple-minded fool! Now, release her, or you will suffer the dire consequences._"

The red head whipped around in several directions. "W-Who's there?" he pointed his gun out in front of him.

"_Hehehe, are you getting paranoid, m'sieur?_"

"DEMON!" the red head cried, "DEMON!"

"_Jou call me a demon? Hmph! And you are going to attempt to purposely kill ma ami? I suggest thinking of a better word to say_…"

The red head started to back up, trembling like mad. He was completely speechless.

"…Before jou die!"

The red head shrieked out in pain as he felt a knife jam into his back. He, too, collapsed to the ground, lifeless and bleeding.

The blonde quickly responded by pushing Nicole away and holding out his knife in defense. "Alright, punk, where are ya?" he demanded.

The only thing around him was two dead men and Nicole. The blonde scanned the area, hoping to catch this mysterious killer.

Nicole instinctively ran off and hid behind a dumpster, peeking her head out to see the events unfolding.

"_Are you enjoying this game of hide and seek_?"

The blonde jumped in alarm. "AH HA!" he turned to his right, expecting to see the killer.

But no one was there.

"_It's hard to find a man you can't see, no_?"

The blonde aggressor began taking staggered breaths. He stood in the middle of the darkening ally, glancing all around him. "Show yourself!"

"_But what's the fun in that if I should myself to jou? Absolutely nothing. Now please, for the last time, I ask for you to leave her alone, drop your weapon, and walk away._"

"What are you going to do if I do? Are you going to possess me, haunt me, or what?"

"_HA HA HA HA! Jou think that I'm a ghost? That's the first time I've been called that_. NO! That's not what I have in mind…"

The blonde gasped in astonishment, seeing the same man he saw 'die' right in front of him appear right in front of him. The knife slipped from his sweaty, shaky hand.

"Jou shouldn't have brought a knife to a gunfight, m'sieur." The man in the blue suit sneered, taking out his Ambassador and pointing it at the blonde.

"Who are you?" the blonde muttered.

"Now what would be the point in telling jou? This _will_ be the last time you see me." Jèrèmie pulled the trigger, shooting the aggressor in the chest.

The blonde drunk fell flat on his back, dead. The BLU Spy smiled as he adjusted his tie. "Jou're fortunate that you didn't get blood on my suit…" he then glanced around at the three, fresh carcasses. "Oh dear, I've made quite a mess…" he chuckled.

Nicole slowly came out from her hiding spot. "J-Jèrèmie?"

The Spy looked up. "Chéri?"

Nicole ran up to him, hugging him. "Thank goodness! I thought it was going to be the end of me!"

Jèrèmie hugged back. "You didn't sound as frightened as I expected." He smirked.

Nicole shrugged. "I've been in worse situations." She sighed, "But I'm happy you came along."

"I told jou that I'm always going to be there for you."

Nicole gave the Spy a flat look. "You were following me, weren't you?"

"Well, I can't just let you walk by yourself after dark. It's not safe, jou know." Jèrèmie explained, "Must I remind jou the dangers you can be on a street at night?"

Nicole shook her head. "I've been well reminded…"

Jèrèmie smiled. "Good."

"Thank you for saving me…"

"You're welcome, I'm just happy that jou are safe." The Spy pulled back. "Do you mind if I walk you home?"

"I don't mind at all." Nicole giggled, "I'm going to need a body guard, after all…"

Jèrèmie held out his gloved hand. "Shall we proceed?"

Nicole nodded, taking his had. "Sure, let's move on."

The two walked out from the ally, but then, Nicole froze in her tracks upon realizing something. "Wait a minute…I thought you can't respawn in this world…How did you come back to life?"

Jèrèmie stopped and grinned. He took out a golden pocket watch with a bird engraved on it. "Have you ever 'eard of a Dead Ringer?" he asked.

Nicole shook her head. "Not really…Does it bring you back to life?"

Jèrèmie shook his head. "Non, it brings out a fake, realistic doll of myself, so the bullet hits it instead of me. Then, I cloak just right afterward. It happens in a split second, so you may not be able to see the whole process in real time." He clarified, putting away his Dead Ringer.

Nicole nodded in understanding. "Ohh, I see." She then noticed the gun he carried.

It was the Ambassador, just like the one Léon had. But unlike the RED Spy's, Jèrèmie's Ambassador had a well detailed Chinese dragon craved on the barrel instead of a woman. The trigger was of fine gold, similar to Léon's gun, but appeared to be shinier. Even Jèrèmie's Ambassador appeared to be more polished and cleaner.

Jèrèmie put away his gun. "May we continue?" he insisted, "It's getting late, and jour parents might return soon."

Nicole took his hand once again. "Yes." She smiled.

The moon rose into the star-lit sky as the two continued down the sidewalk. Close by the BLU Spy, Nicole was ever so grateful to be in the arms of her guardian angel.


	23. A Simple Journal Entry

_Author's Note: Hey! It's time for the Anonymous Review Reply! :D_

_**Animed2Fox**: Yup, they do a good deed and have fun at the same time! XD Yeah, it'll get serious soon...I hope. Thanks for the review! **Damien:** *hisses* Does it look like I care? Maybe I would be concerned for your daughter if I were you. *glares at girl*_

_**Fire-Dragon10**: HOORAY FOR JEREMIE! :3 Nicole does like Jeremie, but she doesn't want to show it off too much. Aww, that would be so cute! X3 I'll think about that. Thanks for the review! **Damien:** *takes cherry and smells it* It smells so nice. I don't eat cherries...or chocolate, but I appreciate your gift. *purrs happily*_

_**fred the fish**: You've never seen a Dead Ringer in a TF2 story? Huh, that's interesting. Wow, that sounds crazy. I hope things turn out well. XP Thanks for the review!_

_**of bows and arrows**: Ah, it's okay. They both have masks, so I assumed. :P Thanks, I had the Dead Ringer planned for a while, and I thought it would be fun to put it in there. Oh, okay. Well, I hope things work out for you. Thanks for the review!_

**_Meep_**_:__ HALLO THERE! :D Ah, it's been a while. That's okay, I understand. Thanks. I liked the action as well. Don't worry, I have been writing...a lot. No, this is not a fail review! Don't be like that. Thanks for the review! :3_

_And now enjoy this REALLY short chapter! :)_

* * *

Sitting at her desk under a single lamp light, Nicole quietly wrote in her little black leather journal. Having nothing else to do, she placed the current date on the top and began writing:

_Hey journal, it's me again. What's up? You've been probably wondering where I was, huh? Sorry, I was really busy for the past couple of months. Anyway, I should probably explain what's been going on. Okay, last June, I was kidnapped by this… (How should I put this?) …maniac dressed in all red and I was taken to this place known as the Fortress. More specifically, I was dropped off at the Badlands, where the RED Base was located at. I met the RED Team: Klaus (the Medic), Bill (the Engineer), Benny (the Sniper), Jake (the Scout), Boleslav (the Heavy), Angus (the Demoman), Kyle (the Solider), Pyro (the Pyromaniac, of course), and there was Léon (the terrible Spy who was the 'maniac' that kidnapped me in the first place), whom I actually met after my third day in the Fortress. Actually, I can't remember how many days I spent over there; it's been a while since my last visit. But I do remember being taken by this BLU Spy named Jèrèmie. At first, he was a pain in the neck, but once I got to know him, he was more caring than I thought. When I met the BLU Team, it didn't go so well. It seemed that Jèrèmie was the only nice guy of his team, the rest where a bunch of insane people. Oh yeah, I've been in battles before. I'm not kidding, I've been in a Pyro suit and successfully took the BLU Intel (and then that's when Jèrèmie kidnapped me), I even got shot by a sentry three times and still lived (thanks to Jèrèmie and the psychotic BLU Medic, Vinzent). Can you believe that? I sure can't…_

_So anyway, did you know I was snatched by a TentaSpy? You probably don't know what it is, do you? Well, I'll draw a picture in one of the pages so you'll understand a bit better later. Basically, in words, the TentaSpy is half-Spy and half-octopus. He's REALLY scary. No joke, he tried to have an affair with me…twice. But luckily, Jèrèmie and the RED Team teamed up and rescued me. Call me crazy, but I actually stood up for the TentaSpy (his name is Damien Dracul), who was about to be shot off by Jèrèmie. Well, I felt sorry for Damien. I imagined his life to be very hard and rough, and then sympathy came into play. Yes I know, even though he tried to rape me twice (Léon only tried once before he was shot to the head by Jèrèmie), I saved his life. We, meaning the RED Team, Jèrèmie and I, agreed that we wouldn't kill him off if he wouldn't go crazy again. Sometimes, I act before I think, and I'm starting to question why I even have that habit._

_And now that you're now caught up to my events from what happened only a few months ago, I'll tell you about what's been going on this week so far. The RED Team actually came to visit last Friday at my place. At first, I was surprised, in a rather good way, that they actually found my house in the first place…until I found out Léon respawned while I was gone from the Fortress. I fainted when I saw him for the first time in a while…yes, you can laugh at me. And now Léon wants me to keep our little 'events' a secret from everybody else. He still wants to have his 'little affair' with me. I thought a blow to the head who straighten his mind, but no, he's still going for it. But that's not the biggest thing right now. Jèrèmie's here too, and I'm really happy. Damien is also here, and he's got kids…two of them. They are really adorable and so loveable. But I know what you're thinking: How did Damien get kids? Even I don't know…But anyway, the RED Team and I have been doing all kinds of stuff this week. I took them to that old factory which is now their place to stay for the Holidays, we've played in the rain, (If they stayed at my place, it would have been a disaster), and I even made a sandwich with Boleslav…It was much harder than I expected. Who knew that the Heavy had such a strict taste? _

_Recently, Léon's been all over me this week and it's starting to freak me out. Yesterday, he was in my house, shirtless and feeding me chocolate (AND IT WAS REALLY FREAKY!). Those are two of my weaknesses: chocolate and attractive shirtless guys that are NOT from those stupid Twilight series. I don't know how he found out, but I'm pretty sure he was spying on me while I was at Cassie's two days ago. THAT DARN RED SPY! HE'LL PAY FOR THE CRIMES HE'S COMMITING! Breaking into my house, harassing me, wanting to rape me multiple times, and all the other horrible things he's doing to me. It's a living nightmare every time he shows up. And get this, if I were to tell anyone of Léon's plan, he would 'punish me' in some terrible fashion. I don't know how or what it would be, but I don't want to find out. _

_Oh, and that reminds me, earlier today, I was ganged by these group of drunkies and was about to be murdered. But Jèrèmie came to save the day, killing off all three guys. It was insane! They shot him when he first came in, but he used something called 'Dead Ringer' to save himself. It's kind of complicated; even I'm still trying to understand it. Jèrèmie's such a good friend, he's always there for me and protecting me. I just wish I can tell him my true feeling for him, but it would be awkward for the both of us. Besides, being with a man about three times older than I am…kind of creepy if you ask me, but Jèrèmie's not creepy…Léon is. But my feelings are confusing themselves; even I don't know what to think for myself…_

_Anyway, I better get going…I'm probably taking too much room for one entry…_

Nicole placed the pen down. "Phew…my hand's getting all cramped from writing." She smirked as she flipped through the back pages. "Wow, my life before the Fortress was more dull than I previously thought." She laughed as she read some of the old entries, "Aww, I remember that. This was the day that I first played Left 4 Dead…" she saw a little drawing of four characters with guns, "I remember I couldn't sleep for two hours straight after playing it…" she flipped some more pages. "And there's the time that I first got Half-Life…Such good memories…" she turned to the end of the journal. "Huh? What's this?" she frowned, noticing something quite unusual.

On the very last page was a note written in red. The handwriting itself was a familiar fancy cursive. Nicole quietly read the note:

_Bonjour, ma petite chou-fleur, how are things with you? I am doing well. I've been reading your little diary, and I found it very interesting. Who knew that you had such great talent in writing? And your little drawings were adorable, should I say. You must have had a great life before you met the RED Team and I. And if you didn't notice, I even cleaned your room a bit. You can say thank you when I'm around. I hope you don't mind. When we meet again, I would like for you to tell me the wonderful stories you have in this little book. Until then, adieu, ma chéri. Love, Léon._

A big, red heart was next to his name. Nicole's heart skipped a beat as she read the last of the note. Without saying a word, she flipped to an empty page and began writing again:

_Hey, it's me again…I'm here to tell you that this will be the last journal entry…EVER. It's for safety reasons, don't ask why. Goodbye._

Nicole placed down her pen and closed her journal. "Better safe than sorry…better safe than sorry…" she hid the little journal in a drawer filled with papers and pens. "Why would he do this to me?" she asked herself, "Léon actually looked into my journal? Has he gone mad? What is he trying to do, anyhow? Is he trying to control me, now? Thank goodness he didn't read today's entry!" she jumped up from her chair. "And he cleaned my room too?" Nicole immediately looked over at her bookshelf. The books were all aliened from tallest to shortest. "No! No! No! They were supposed to be in alphabetical order by author's last name! Didn't he know that?" she looked over at her bed. "He made the bed too? Aw! The pillows aren't supposed to be tucked under the covers…Oh well. As long as he didn't mess anything else up…then I'm good." Nicole sighed, "Wait a minute…" she gasped, "How long has Léon been sneaking into my house when I'm not around?" she groaned, slumping on to her bed. "I am so going to ask for a proper, working security system for Christmas..."


	24. Sweet Dreams with Jèrèmie

_Author's Note: Here's the Anonymous Review Reply!_

_**Fire-Dragon10**: Yep, Leon strikes again, and it won't be the last. XP Yeah, but Leon would try to sap it and break into it. Sweet! I'm sure Nicole would love to hear them. :3 Ooh! I would love to see that drawing! That would be so great! Let me know when you're finished with it. Oh! And that reminds me, I drew your TentaSpy (Alvin). I'm going to see if I can post it up on DeviantArt soon. I hope you like it when you see it. Thanks for the review! **Damien:** *purrs* Merci. *kisses back*_

_**fred the fish**: Yep. It's the crazy church guy reference. XP DING DONG! Yeah, that's very true. Spies are Spies, they have to decieve really well and such. LOL! Nicole would immediately know if Leon was disguised as a zombie or Gordon Freeman. XD That would mess with someone's brain. Thanks for the review!_

_**of bows and arrows**: Thanks. I'm happy everyone's getting the Church Guy reference. X3 Leon can't be Leon if he doesn't mess with her. XP Awesome! Thanks for the review! **Leon: ***looks at you* So what? I have the Dead Ringer! What are you going to do about that?_

_**Animed2Fox**: Yeah, but Nicole doesn't want her parents questioning the security system. LOL! Yup, it sure is. :D Hmm, I really don't know how it would work. But I'll see what I can do. Thanks for the review! **Damien: ***hisses and growls at Amaya* You've made a horrible mistake! *grabs her and pins her to the wall* Let's see if Daddy can get you out of this one! *dark chuckle* This is what happens if you mess with me. *tentacles creep up Amaya*  
_

_And now here's the next chapter! Enjoy, good readers! :3_

* * *

It was a quiet night as Nicole laid in her bed, trying to fall asleep. In her usual pajamas, she felt colder than normal. "Ugh…I better ask Dad to turn down the A.C. tomorrow, it's getting cold." she pulled the covers closer to her. "If there's anything I hate about winter, it's the cold…" she sighed, curling into a ball and started to shiver, "I need more blankets, but I'm too darn lazy to worry about that right now…" she closed her eyes, trying not to think of anything else but getting sleep.

Then, something began to stroke her backside, but Nicole didn't pay much attention to it at first. She opened her eyes and moaned. "Sally…what are you doing?"

There was no response.

"…Sally?" Nicole softly called.

A meow was heard.

Nicole smiled and sat up. "Hey, Sally…"

The cat walked across the bed before jumping off from it, leaving the room through the slightly opened door.

Nicole frowned upon seeing her cat leave. "Huh, that's odd…" she shrugged as she laid back down on her stomach. "Eh, I shouldn't worry about it right now…" she closed her eyes again. "I just want to sleep…"

Once again, the stroking on her back continued. Nicole sighed. "What the-? What is going on?" she asked, shifting over to towards her right.

"_Please don't think it's your cat again, chéri_…"

Nicole's eyes opened. "Who-?" she sat up again, looking around. "Where are you this time?" she demanded quietly.

"I'm right beside you."

Nicole saw the Spy appear right by her. "Oh!" she jumped in alarm. "Uh…are you…" she narrowed her eyes, trying to figure out which Spy it was sitting next to her in the dark. "…BLU?"

"Oui," the Spy nodded, "I am."

Nicole sighed of relief. "Oh, thank goodness. You had me worried there for a second or two." She smiled sheepishly.

Jèrèmie chuckled lightly. "Apologizes, mademoiselle, I can't help myself being a Spy."

Nicole shrugged. "I don't blame you at all." Suddenly, she blushed.

Jèrèmie was completely shirtless, but wore his mask, gloves, pants, and black socks. He frowned. "Is there something wrong, chéri?" he asked.

Nicole slowly shook her head. "No…not at all…" she said timidly, "What brings you here all of a sudden?"

Jèrèmie shrugged. "I'm here to see if jou are doing alright since the incident."

Nicole smiled. "I'm recovering, thank you, and are you okay?" she asked.

"I am doing well, merci." The BLU Spy answered.

"Oh, that's good. So, uh, it's a good night, isn't it? The weather's being great all day, although a little bit cold…" Nicole said.

"Are jou trying to bring something up?" Jèrèmie inquired, raising an eyebrow.

Nicole paused for a moment. "Maybe…"

"Go on and say it, ma cher."

Nicole took in a deep breath. "I just want to say…t-thank you for saving me earlier today."

"Jou're welcome." Jèrèmie smiled. "Do your parents know about it?"

Nicole shook her head. "No, I didn't tell them. If I did, they would be all over me again just like last time…"

Jèrèmie's smile disappeared. "Oh, I…see…"

Nicole smirked. "But it's not really that important, is it? I mean, what they don't know isn't going to hurt them…"

"Hm, I suppose…"

"So, what's been going on with you lately?" Nicole asked, changing the subject.

"I've been very busy, with watching you, hiding from others, and taking care of myself. Nothing really special or anything…" Jèrèmie explained.

"How long do you watch me?" Nicole asked, turning a little pale.

"Not everyday, if that's with your asking."

Nicole nodded in understanding. "Oh…okay."

"Does it creep jou out?" Jèrèmie asked with a worried tone.

"A…little…I mean, it's now making feel that I'm always being watched…" Nicole shivered a little bit.

"Aw, there, there, I only do it for jour own good." Jèrèmie placed an arm around her sleeveless shoulders. "You know that I won't hurt you, right?"

Nicole flinched slightly, but nodded. "Y-Yeah, I know that."

"Is that RED Spy causing jou trouble still?"

Nicole looked over at the BLU Spy. "Unfortunately…"

"What has he done to you?" Jèrèmie demanded with a slightly aggressive tone.

"Jèrèmie, it's okay! I'm still a virgin! But…Léon's been really aggressive towards me…" Nicole sighed, lowering her head. "He's been bothering me a lot recently, as if he's trying to get together with me so he can have his…" she gulped, "…little affair…"

Jèrèmie frowned. "Is that so?"

Nicole nodded. "Y-Yeah, he gets all over me when he gets the chance. He even snuck into my house today and rearranged my room apparently, leaving me a note in my journal…"

Jèrèmie grimaced even more, not saying a word.

"I can't believe that he would actually read my journal and leave a note in it too…I'm beginning to wonder how desperate he is to hook up with me. It's starting to scare me…"

Jèrèmie sighed heavily. "Let's just hope things don't get any worse…" He patted her back gently. "I'm so sorry you 'ad to go through all that."

Nicole smiled weakly at the BLU Spy. "It's okay, Jèr, it's not your fault that you can't do anything. I understand you had to hide yourself from the REDs…I don't blame you, not one bit."

Jèrèmie grinned. "Merci…"

"Hey…Jèr?"

"Yes?"

"I've noticed something…I saw the Léon's gun, and it had a carving of a woman on it."

Jèrèmie moaned and rolled his eyes in disgust. "How repulsive that man can be! And what about it?"

"I saw your gun, and it had a dragon on it. How come?"

"Well, jou see, most Spies have the Ambassador like Léon has, but mine, you see, is different. It was the only one left…but I've learned to deal with it."

"And…do you like your gun?" Nicole asked.

Jèrèmie nodded, "It is one of my most trusted weapons, next to my knife, of course."

"You like it better than the one Léon has?"

Jèrèmie scowled. "Oui! I would rather have the one I have. I would never trade my beloved Ambassador for _his_! He's a terrible man who's addicted to pornography, and it disgusts me!"

"But…aren't all Spies...perverted?"

Jèrèmie gave Nicole a peculiar look. "Now what makes jou say something like that?"

Nicole hesitated. "W-Well, seeing what Léon and the TentaSpy tried doing with me, I assuming that you know…_all_ Spies are equal, you know?"

Jèrèmie sighed. "It is true that all Spies are equal in certain ways, like 'aving the same abilities and such, but we all have different personalities. Léon, for example, is a sick and nasty man. And that TentaSpy, well, let's just call 'im corrupted. As for moi, I am nothing like them."

"So…you're not perverted at all, right?"

"I'm trying my best to be a good man," Jèrèmie smiled sheepishly, "trust me. It's not easy, but I'm trying."

Nicole smiled. "Oh, okay, that's cool…at least it makes me feel better…"

"Were you worried there?"

"Yeah, just a little." Nicole scooted closer to Jèrèmie. "I'm glad you're here, Jèr, it makes me feel safer being with you."

Jèrèmie smiled. "Really? That's good. Actually, I was expecting for you to ask me how I got in your room again."

Nicole rested her head on his bare shoulder. "No, not this time…I'm pretty much used to you sneaking into my house by now."

Jèrèmie smirked as his arm slid down to Nicole's side. "Interesting…"

"Hey, Jèrèmie, why do Spies wear masks all the time?" Nicole asked.

"It's to protect my identity." Jèrèmie explained.

"Do you ever take it off?"

The Spy shook his head. "No."

"Why?" Nicole questioned, "Aren't you going to forget what your face looks like?"

Jèrèmie chuckled. "Of course not. It is a standard to always leave a mask on, no matter what. I even wear it in bed. And to tell jou the truth, it's rather comfortable."

"Oh…I see." Nicole said.

"Do you 'ave anything else to ask?" Jèrèmie inquired.

"Not really…it's getting late, and I don't want to stay up late playing a game of twenty questions and bother you." Nicole giggled.

"Ah, I see. Mademoiselle, do you mind if I stay 'ere for the night? It's rather crowded back at the factory and it's also awkward for me to stay in the same building as the RED Team."

"No, I don't mind…You can stay." Nicole answered.

"Merci, ma ami." Jèrèmie rested his head on hers.

"Goodnight, Jèrèmie…" Nicole whispered softly.

"Bonne nuit, ma petite chéri…" Jèrèmie whispered back.

Nicole smiled, closing her eyes and slowly falling into a deep sleep.

* * *

_Nicole suddenly found herself standing in a giant ballroom. "What the-? How did I get here?" she looked down. "And when was I wearing this? Do I even have this in my wardrobe?" she wore a long, silky black dress, fingerless black gloves, and shiny boots that came up to her knees. "I wonder if this even matches…Oh well, it's not that important." She glanced about at the room._

_She stood in the center of the room, which had a clean, white-tiled floor. The walls, were in white with fancy designs. Windows with mosaic tiles were all over the place. Hanging above the painted ceilings were crystal chandeliers. Nicole felt like she was in an old, medieval castle of some sort. _

_"Where am I? In a Cinderella Castle?" Nicole asked out loud, "I feel girly and stupid being in here!" she pouted, crossing her arms, "It's like I'm four years old all over again."_

_"Now don't say that, ma chéri, I don't want jou to put yourself down."_

_Nicole looked up to see where the familiar voice came from. Her eyes widened as she saw the BLU Spy coming down the stairway cowered in a long, red carpet. "Jèrèmie?" _

_"The one and only." He smiled, standing at the end of the stairs._

_Although he wore his usual Spy attire as if it was any other normal day, Nicole felt that Jèrèmie was more attractive than usual. "You look great, Jèr!" she complemented._

_Jèrèmie approached Nicole. "Merci. And jou, ma ami, are absolutely beautiful."_

_Nicole blushed and giggled. "Oh, thank you…This isn't the best thing I picked from my closet apparently."_

_Jèrèmie took Nicole's hand. "It is to me."_

_Nicole's heart hammered in her chest. "Thanks."_

_"Shall we dance?"_

_Nicole searched around the empty ballroom. "To what? There's no music."_

_As if on cue, waltzing music began to play as if from nowhere. Nicole looked up at the ceilings. "There are built-in speakers in the ceiling?" _

_Jèrèmie laughed. "No, there isn't."_

_Nicole gave the BLU Spy a confused look. "Are you now a wizard or something?"_

_Jèrèmie shook his head. "No, I am only a Spy. Now, let us dance."_

_Nicole nodded. "Sure, let's…"_

_The two waltzed around the ballroom. Nicole felt like a certain type of fantasy was unfolding right in front of her, but she couldn't tell what it was. "Hey, Jèr, do you know where we're at, right now?" she asked._

_"I can't tell you yet." Jèrèmie answered._

_Nicole frowned. "Why not?"_

_"Because it would ruin the surprise."_

_Nicole blinked. "Okay…"_

_Both Jèrèmie and Nicole continued to dance, spinning around and stepping to the unknown music. They were close to each other, being only inches away from each other. Nicole smiled. "Since when did you become good at dancing?"_

_Jèrèmie shrugged. "It's only natural, chéri. See? Look at you, you're dancing fabulously."_

_Nicole scoffed. "I'm terrible at dancing, Jèrèmie."_

_"It doesn't look like that." Jèrèmie sneered._

_Nicole rolled her eyes. "Aw, Jèrèmie, you're only saying that to make me feel better about myself."_

_"Is it working?" the Spy asked._

_Nicole's smile grew. "Yes…it is."_

_Jèrèmie smiled back, pulling Nicole closer to him. "Jou know I care about you more than anything in the world, right?"_

_Nicole nodded. "Yes." She answered happily._

_"And that I will always be there for you whenever you need me."_

_Nicole nodded again. "Yes…"_

_The couple continued to dance in silence as the music began to fade away. Jèrèmie spun Nicole around several times before pulling her back to him and dipped her._

_Nicole looked up at the Spy. "Nice job." She said._

_"Thank you, and you did a fine job yourself." Jèrèmie complemented as he pulled Nicole back up._

_Nicole blushed. "I wouldn't say fine…but thanks." She did a quick curtsy._

_Jèrèmie bowed back. "Now, what should we do next?"_

_Nicole shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know…"_

_Jèrèmie took her hand and kissed it. "I forgot to tell jou that your hair is magnificent when it's down."_

_Nicole gasped as she realized that her hair was down to her shoulder blades. "R-Really?" _

_"Oui."_

_Nicole gently pulled her hand back. "Thanks, but why are you complementing so much?"_

_"Because you are very beautiful, and I truly mean every word I say." Jèrèmie answered, leaning towards Nicole and kissing her on the cheek._

_Nicole's face flushed into a bright red. "Aww, Jèrèmie…"_

_"Oh! There's one more thing I almost forgot!" Jèrèmie looked deep into Nicole's amber eyes. "Would jou like to see me without my mask?"_

_Nicole's eyes locked with his chocolate-brown eyes. "Are you sure you're comfortable with that?"_

_"Of course, as long as I'm with you, everything I do is meaningful."_

_"Well…okay." _

_Jèrèmie nodded, reaching for the top of his mask. "This is for jou, ma petite chéri." He grabbed his mask and began to pull it off._

_Just before she could see his face, Nicole saw a flash of light, blinding her. And then, everything faded._

_

* * *

_

Nicole's eyes opened as a beam of light from the winder hit her face. She glanced about, finding herself snuggled with Jèrèmie. She smiled as she saw him still sleeping peacefully. "What a dream…" she whispered to herself. "Too bad I didn't get to see his face. I wonder what that was all about. Is my own mind trying to convince me of my true feelings? It isn't working, that's for sure…" she looked down to see one of her arms resting on Jèrèmie's smooth, warm chest. Nicole felt his heart beat softly. "Oh!" she blushed as she pulled her hand back. "When did that happen?"

Just then, Jèrèmie yawned as he began to wake up. "Ah, bonjour, mademoiselle Nicole, did you 'ave a nice rest?"

Nicole smiled. "Good morning, Jèr, I did sleep well. Did you?"

"Very much so." Jèrèmie smiled weakly.

"That's good." Nicole smiled back, scooting away from the BLU Spy.

Jèrèmie sat up. "Thank you for letting me stay for the night, I enjoyed every moment." He got off the bed and stood up. "I 'ave to get going now."

Nicole frowned. "How come?"

"I have business to attend to, you know." Jèrèmie answered, grabbing his shirt and coat from the dresser.

"Oh, I understand, I guess you do have to get going."

Jèrèmie shrugged, slipping into his black shoes. "I suppose so. But I'll come and visit you again soon."

Nicole's smile returned. "That sounds good to me. But how are you going to get passed my parents?" she asked.

Jèrèmie smiled as he disappeared in his cloak. "_How else do you think_?" a faint laugh was heard.

Nicole sheepishly grinned. "Oh yeah, I almost forgot."

"_Au revoir, chéri_." The door opened by itself before closing again seconds later.

Nicole sighed with content before falling back on to the bed. "Wow…that was the best sleep I ever had so far…" she smiled, blushing a little.


	25. Stand Tall, Striken Down

_Author's Note: And now it's time for the Anonymous Review Reply!_

_**Fire-Dragon 10**: Yep. :3 I would be having mixed emotions in her situation. It would be very conflicting. XP Sure did, so I'm trying to see if I can post it up soon. I don't know...Damien's kind of territorial. Thanks for the tip, I'll see if I can be careful around Alvin. LOL! A giant cat with tentacles! X3 That sounds cute...in a funny way. Aww! That's so sweet! Jeremie and Nicole are very sweet together, and he'll do whatever it takes to keep her safe. Thanks for the review! **Damien:** *Purrs and laughs* You're very sweet indeed...*sees Alvin* Who's that? *frowns*_

_**Animed2Fox**: Really? Huh, well...there's weirder yet to come. XD Thanks for the review! **Damien: **...Aren't you going to save your daughter? *tries not to laugh* It seems that you've already forgotten about her._

_**of bows and arrows**: Thanks. I like having cute scenes with Jeremie and Nicole. Awesome Monty Python reference! XD Aww, I'm sorry you don't feel too well, I hope you get better, and thanks for the review! **Leon**: ...? At least you don't have a blessed hand-grenade or something._

_And now, he's the next chapter! :) Enjoy!_

* * *

Nicole sat there on the couch in the living room. It was a cloudy noon, and all that she could think about was the night before. "Jèrèmie's such a nice guy…Why can't everyone be like him?" she giggled, "It's kind ironic that he's a Spy…I wonder how he's handling with the BLU Team? Are they any better than I last met them? Eh, I bet not…I feel sorry for Jèr, he has to maintain control all the time with them, it kind of sucks that the REDs hate the BLUs so much…Why? Why can't they all be friends?" she asked herself, crossing her arms. "What even started that war? Hm, I'll worry about that later…I wonder what Jèrèmie's doing right now. What kind of business is he attending to? Well, if it is his personal business, I better leave it alone."

She looked over at the window to see the wind blowing leaves across the backyard. "Last night was amazing…good thing that Jèrèmie wouldn't try to hook up with me like Léon does…I'm glad that Jèr's a good friend, and that he would never do anything to hurt me. I wonder if I should tell him…NO!" Nicole snapped, pounding a fist to the palm of her hand. "I can't do that! I just can't! It would make us feel very uncomfortable and awkward, especially for Jèrèmie. But…he's done so much for me, I just can't say nothing to him. He's a good and loyal friend…" she sighed heavily, smiling a bit, "But what if I'm not that good for him? No! No! What am I saying? I'm putting myself down, and I don't want to do that. I don't want this day to get any worse and I already had such a wonderful night…"

"Bonjour, ma petite chou-fleur!"

Nicole's little smile turned into a terrified look. She looked over towards the front door to see a familiar man in red walk into the house. "Léon!" she gasped.

The RED Spy sneered. "The one and only."

Nicole swallowed hard. "W-W-What are you doing here?" she demanded.

"What else do jou think? I came to see you." Léon approached her slowly, gazing at her with his icy-blue eyes.

Nicole instantly stood up. "But…why now? Don't you have other things to do?"

Léon shook his head. "None of it is really important, and I was getting very lonely again."

Nicole took a step away from the Spy. "Again? Do you talk with your other team members or something?"

Léon frowned. "They don't care of what I think; they are all simple-minded and useless."

"Oh…I don't think they are." Nicole protested. Then, an idea came into her mind. She knew that she had to act fast before things got worse. It was a now or never situation as she took in a deep breath.

Léon came right up to her, wrapping his arms around her waist. "So, do you want to pick up where we last left off?"

Nicole glared at Leon. "No."

"…What?"

"I said no, I want you to leave…" Nicole pulled away from him, giving him a cold stare.

Léon grimaced. "What?"

"I said leave, Léon. I don't want you in my house anymore!" Nicole pointed towards the front door. "GET OUT OF HERE! I DON'T WANT YOU HERE AT ALL! LEAVE! NOW! I'M TIRED AND SICK OF YOU TAKING ADVANTAGE OVER ME! GET OUT OF HERE AND LEAVE ME ALONE! AND I AM NOT YOUR 'CHOU-FLOUR' OR WHAT EVER THAT IS! YOU ARE A NASTY, PERVERTED, SICK MAN! I AM ONLY SEVENTEEN YEARS OLD AND YOU ARE…WAY OLDER THAN I AM! AND THAT JUST WRONG! SO GET LOST AND NEVER COME BACK, YOU TERRIBLE, TERRIBLE MAN!" she shouted at the top of her lungs, trying to stand tall and show no signs of fear.

Léon, however, stood there, staring at her. His eyes narrowed, saying not a word.

"WHAT THE HECK IS WRONG WITH YOU? THE DOOR IS OVER THERE! YOU CAN FIND YOUR WAY TO IT BY YOURSELF!" Nicole barked.

Léon continued to stay motionless, glaring at her with increasing anger.

Nicole glared back, trying to be as aggressive as possible.

"You…IMBECILE!" Leon yelled, giving her an evil eye.

Nicole's anger turned to fear as she jumped in alarm and yelped. She started to tremble, not knowing what to predict.

"HOW DARE YOU TREAT ME LIKE THAT! AFTER ALL THAT I'VE DONE FOR YOU! I-"

"LIAR! YOU TREAT ME HORRIBLY!" Nicole interrupted, "ALL YOU DO IS DISRESPECT-!"

Léon charged at her, grabbing her by the shoulders and pinning her against the wall. "SHUT UP!" he slapped her across the face, hard.

Nicole gasped in pain, having no idea what to do or say that would get her out of her terrible situation.

"YOU TRY TO REBEL AGAINST ME? YOU'VE MADE A HORRIBLE MISTAKE, CHÉRI! I'LL SHOW YOU WHAT DISREPSECT REALLY IS!" Léon snapped, spitting at her face.

Nicole whipped her head to the side, shocked to see Léon do such an act.

Without warning, Léon threw Nicole to the floor. "HOW DO YOU LIKE IT, NOW?" he shouted, kicking her in the stomach.

Nicole cried out in pain. "PLEASE, STOP!"

Léon laughed maniacally. "Aww, you don't like it, DO YOU?" he kicked her in the leg.

"NO MORE! NO MORE!" Nicole begged.

"Not until you've learned you lesson, _ma_ chéri." Léon hissed, heaving her up to her feet. Then, he punched her square in the face.

Blood seeped out from Nicole's nose. She tried to pull away. "STOP! STOP IT! I'VE HAD ENOUGH! I BEG YOU, STOP! I'M SORRY, I'M SORRY!"

"IT'S TOO LATE! I'M NOT ACCEPTING YOUR PATHETIC APOLIGIES!" Léon bellowed, shoving her down to the floor again. "YOU MUST REALIZE THAT I AM SUPERIOR OVER YOU! YOU _WILL_ OBEY EVERY WORD I SAY, YOU _WILL_ NOT FIGHT BACK, AND YOU _WILL _TELL NO ONE!" he kicked her backside.

Nicole groaned in agony, too weak to even utter a single word.

"IT HURTS WHEN I DO THAT, DOESN'T IT?" Léon's crooked smile grew as he laughed maniacally.

Tears poured down on Nicole's face and warm blood trickled from the corner of her mouth. She looked up at the angry RED Spy.

"You're weak. You are nothing but a coward." Léon snorted, "But that makes things easier for me." He chuckled wickedly.

Nicole winced in pain. "You…you'll never get away with this! You will pay!" she growled weakly.

"Enough!" Léon stomped on her right arm.

"AAHHH!" Nicole screamed, feeling the bones in her arm snap.

"What are you going to do about it? ABSOLUTELY NOTHING! I control you, and there is nothing you can do about it!"

Nicole was too weak to even shiver in horror. "S-Stop…no…please…"

"Stop what, _ma petite chou-fleur_?" the Spy hissed furiously.

With the little strength she had, Nicole began to crawl away, trying not to move her broken right arm.

But Léon placed a foot on her back, pinning her to the floor. "Where do you think you're going, mademoiselle?" he smirked.

Nicole stayed motionless, not wanting anymore pain.

"Hmph! You're staying right where you are as you think about what you've done." Léon began to head for the front door.

"You're just…going t-to…leave me like this?" Nicole croaked.

"But of course, I'm punishing you, after all." Leon looked back to see Nicole still on the floor. "You will speak nothing of this, YOU UNDERSTAND?" he snapped.

"Yes! Yes! I won't tell! Just…don't hurt me!" Nicole pleaded.

Léon laughed as he opened the door. "But I already have." With that, he slammed the door behind him.

Nicole knew she had no fight left in her. "H-Help…someone…please…?" she called softly.

But there was no answer.

"I'm sorry…I went too far…"

Nothing.

"All I want…is…someone…anyone…"

Silence.

Nicole laid there, bleeding, broken, and bruised. She closed her eyes and tried to ignore the intense pain. "I want Jèrèmie…"

Just then, the sound of the front door opening was heard. "Fraulein? Vhere are you?"

Nicole's eyes opened. "Klaus?"

"Fraulein? Is zhat you?"

"I'm over here…"

The Medic entered the living room, but came to a dead stop. "OH NIEN!"

There, in the middle of room was Nicole, lying on the floor and in bad shape. She had a black eye on her left side. Bruises were all over her arms and face. Blood dripped onto the carpet.

Klaus immediately ran to her. "VHAT HAPPENED?" he panicked as he knelt down beside her.

"I…I…f-fell down the stairs…" Nicole answered.

"You did?"

"It was a terrible crash, I broke my arm while falling down the stairs and I bruised myself as I landed…" she explained as best as she could, hoping for Klaus to accept it.

Klaus thought for a moment. "Hmm, it's a bit serious for just tripping down ze stairs, but I'll zee vhat I can do. I'll be right back!"

"Wait…w-where are you going?" Nicole asked.

"I'm going to get my supplies, zince I don't have them vith me right now, so don't move! I'll hurry!" Klaus got up and ran back for the door, closing it behind him.

Nicole sighed, carefully rolling onto her right side. "Great…now I have to wait…The pain is so intense…I don't think…I can take it anymore…At least he took my fib…" she closed her eyes again. "Got to ignore the pain…gotta ignore pain…"

"_Aww…My, my, the poor child is in deep suffering_…"

Nicole's eyes flew opened. "What the-?"

"_Too bad I couldn't to anything to help_…"

Nicole glanced around the room. "Who's talking…?"

"_Why that fiend! If I could, I would love to tear that RED Spy's flesh apart with my bare hands_…"

Nicole turned pale. "Seriously! I'm starting to get a little creeped out now!"

"_What's wrong? Jou know me, don't you? I am a friend, my dear, and I would never 'arm you in any way_."

Nicole gulped. "But I can't see you!"

"Look up."

Nicole eyes shifted over towards the ceiling. "AH!"

It was Damien, sticking onto the ceiling with his tentacles. "Hehehe, surprise."

Nicole forced herself not to move. "How long…have you…been here?"

"Long enough, ma petite squatine…" Damien sighed, putting a cigarette in his mouth. He crossed his arms as he closed his eyes.

"Why are you even here?"

Damien looked down at Nicole with his golden eyes. "At first, I came to see you, but that mindless RED beat me to you."

"How much did you see?"

"I saw the whole thing, if that's what you're asking." Damien sighed, smoke escaping from his mouth.

"Oh…" Nicole's eyes shifted to the floor. "I see…But you should have-" she looked back up, only to see the TentaSpy gone. "Huh?"

"_Should have what_?"

"U-Uh, I don't know…done something?" Nicole suggested softly.

"_And give away my presence? Hmph! Jou're not thinking clearly_."

Nicole sighed. "Yeah, you're right…" she winced in pain as she slowly rolled onto her back. "Gah, my arm…it hurts…"

"_You poor unfortunate soul, why would anyone hurt such a sweet petite fille like yourself and leave you in such a terrible condition_? _That man sickens me…"_

Nicole shivered a little. "It's my fault that I pissed him off…I just had enough of him torturing me, you know?"

"_Hmm, I suppose you do 'ave a point, chéri_."

Nicole groaned as she accidently moved her right arm an inch. "Geez! It really hurts! Léon stepped on me _hard_…"

"So what's the damage?"

Nicole gasped as she saw Damien appear right in front of her, towering above her. "Uhh, b-bruises, broken arm, and dislocated nose, I think…" she nervously answered.

"Let me see your arm…" one of Damien's black tentacles reached out towards Nicole.

"No, no…don't touch it!" Nicole begged as the tentacle crept up to her right arm. She grunted as it lightly tapped on her forearm. "Ow!"

"Ah, so it is broken, based on your reaction." The TentaSpy smirked.

Nicole frowned. "Now can you please don't touch me anymore? Not only is it creepy, but you might make things worse if you keep doing it."

Damien chuckled. "What's wrong? I'm trying to be as gentle as I can." He sat down next to her.

Nicole tried to resist the urge to crawl away. "It's not so gentle to me."

"You're in pain."

"I know I am." Nicole grimaced, looking away from Damien.

"Now what seems to be the problem?" Damien asked.

Nicole refused to speak or even glance at the TentaSpy. She flinched as she felt another tentacle cupped under her chin and move her head towards Damien.

"Go on, chéri, tell me what the matter is."

"I-I…hate being…a victim…" Nicole shyly answered.

"Ah, I see…"

"I just hate being picked on…by Léon. If it keeps up, I might eventually die…" a single tear slid down Nicole cheek.

"Shh, it's alright, ma squatine." The tentacle on Nicole's chin pulled back and gently wiped the tear. "That fool _human_ Spy will pay for all the crimes he has committed."

"But don't you kill _and_ eat people?" Nicole questioned, shivering a little bit, "Isn't that murder…kind of?"

Damien frowned. "Don't change the subject here." He glared.

Nicole instantly froze upon looking into his golden, reptilian eyes. She became too afraid to speak.

"I promise that one day, that RED Spy _will_ be punished. I don't know how or when, but it will be done." Damien said, pulling back the tentacle towards him.

Nicole sighed heavily, still looking into Damien's shimmering eyes. "I don't know, Léon's pretty crafty…"

Damien laughed. "He's only human, chéri. I, however, am a TentaSpy, far greater than any other normal Spy. I am far better than that insignificant Léon."

"Then why don't you beat him up or something?" Nicole suggested.

Damien sighed. "I told jou before that I can't give away my presence!" he growled with annoyance.

Nicole whimpered. "S-Sorry…"

Damien laid back next to her, relaxing a little. "Ahh, but if I could, I would rip him into pieces with my own hands and tentacles, as I said before. But eating him would be very awkward…it would be like eating myself in a way…" he grimaced.

Nicole nodded once. "I know…"

"But I'll have to restrain myself from hurting him." Damien chuckled, "It's a temptation I must avoid."

Nicole kept herself from moving, not wanting to feel pain. She remained silent, hoping that the TentaSpy would eventually leave her be.

Damien glanced over at Nicole. "Don't worry, ma petite squatine, you're in good hands, or tentacles, should I say." He smiled, baring his razor-sharp teeth.

Nicole turned slightly pale. "Uhh, I-I don't know what to say, honestly…"

Damien placed his gloved hand on her chest. He rolled on to one side, facing Nicole, and rested his head on the other hand. "It's alright, chéri, I'll make sure that no harm will ever come to jou when I'm around."

Nicole's heart skipped a beat. "Oh! Uhhh, o-okay."

Damien leaned towards her and kissed her on the cheek, licking some of the blood off from her face. "Everything will be okay, trust me."

Nicole froze in fear, not knowing what to say or how to respond to Damien's action.

That's when Damien began to sing softly and trace small circles on her chest with a clawed finger. Although Nicole couldn't quite tell what he was singing, she knew it was a beautiful song, sounding like heaven's bells ringing. Her eyes began to grow heavier with each passing minute. It was a quiet, yet deep and powerful voice, and it was the only thing that she could hear before closing her eyes and falling asleep.

* * *

"Fraulein? Fraulein! Vake up! Vake up!"

Nicole opened her eyes as she felt light taping on the side of her face. "Wha-?"

"Come back, fraulein! I vant you to vake up!"

"Huh?" Nicole began to regain vision. "K-Klaus? When did you get here?"

The Medic was knelt down beside her again. "Fraulein, are you alvight?"

Nicole slowly nodded. "Y-Yeah, I just had a nap or something…I can't remember…" she looked around to see where Damien went to, but he was nowhere to be found.

Klaus sighed. "At least you're breathing…" he grabbed the first aid kit next to him. "Now tell me vhich arm is broken."

"My…right one." Nicole answered.

Klaus nodded. "Mm-hm…" he took out a roll of bandages. "Okay, zhis might hurt a little." He took Nicole's arm and began wrapping the bandage around it.

Nicole groaned in pain. "Yeah, it hurts…"

Once the arm was completely wrapped in the bandage, Klaus took a cloth from the kit and made sling around it. He tied the knot behind her neck. "Zhis ought to do for now, but I need you to come back vith me."

"But why?"

"I have more of my zupplies back at our place. Now, you think you can stand up?"

"I'll try…" Nicole slowly sat up. With the help of the Medic, she carefully stood up, not wanting injure herself any further. "Ah!" she panted as she limped on one leg. "I guess the bruises are a bit more serious than I thought."

Klaus placed an arm around her. "Just hang on a little more, fraulein, ve'll get there as fast as ve can." He walked along side her to the front door.

Nicole smiled weakly. "Thank you, Klaus. As long as my parents don't see this, then I'm okay."

"Anytime, fraulein…" Klaus smiled back. "Anytime…"

Nicole quickly glanced back, only to see a certain TentaSpy hiding in the shadows and watching her very carefully. He waved before vanishing in his cloak without a trace.


	26. The Greatness of Healing

_Author's Note: It's time for the Anonymous Review Reply!_

_**Fire-Dragon10**: I'm glad you got your anger out. Leon makes everyone mad, so you're not alone. He even makes me mad. XP LOL! If Damien was real, I would have troubles...and a lot of them. I like Damien, it's just that I have TentaSpy-phobia. (Also Spy-Phobia). Hmm, those do sound like good ideas, but you're going to have to wait to see what happens. That's okay, Leon deserves a good punishment, right? :3 Thanks for the review! :D **Damien: **...Nice to meet you, I am Damien Dracul, also a friend. *looks at Alvin weird* You eat fruit? Hm, that's...different. I don't even like fruit. I'm a carnivore one-hundred percent._

_**of bows and arrows**: Yeah, Nicole's always gets in trouble one way or another. I'm glad you're feeling much better. :) Thanks for the review! **Nicole**: Oh! Uh...thanks. *hugs back* **Jeremie**: Um, merci. *high-fives back* **Damien**: *high-fives back as well* **Leon**: ...Why should I worry? I know I am ze better Spy around here._

_**Animed2Fox**: Thanks. At least Nicole tried, right? Soon, not now, but very soon. Thanks for the review! **Damien:** Niether. *throws decoy away* I perfer for you to be raw! *hisses and bares teeth* I haven't eaten anything in a while. *dark chuckle*_

_And now, here's a simple, but rather sappy, chapter. I hope you enjoy. :}_

* * *

Nicole sat in a chair as Klaus fired his Medigun at her. The red aura sprayed at her, making her wounds heal faster than normal. The two were in his office, with medical supplies all over the place.

"Are you ztarting to feel any better?" Klaus asked.

Nicole nodded. "Yeah, I'm starting to feel my arm again."

"That's good! But try not to move too much yet, I'm ztill trying to heal you."

Nicole kept as still as possible. She noticed the bruises on her arms disappearing and the pain started to cease. "Wow, I'm starting to think clearly again." She laughed weakly.

The Medic chuckled lightly. "That's vonderful, fraulein!"

"I like this Medigun…I wish we had all sorts of them in hospitals."

Klaus grinned. "That vould make zhings easier, but not only it vill cause a lot of job loses, but it doesn't heal everything completely all ze time." He explained.

Nicole frowned. "Oh…"

"Ah, your black eye is gone." Klaus informed.

Nicole smiled. "Cool…"

"Hmm, I zhink this should do it." Klaus turned off his Medigun. "How's your arm?"

Nicole moved it, stretching her fingers. "It still hurts in the forearm." She informed.

Klaus nodded as he took out a syringe with purple liquid. "This ought to do it." He carefully punctured the arm with the needle, injecting the liquid. "It helps your arm recover much faster."

Nicole winced in pain. "Ahh, it kind of stings."

Klaus shrugged. "All shots do."

"I suppose you're right…" Nicole grinned shyly.

"Now, don't move your arm much and it will heal within a day or zo." Klaus instructed, "Remember to drink plenty of vater and come see me if your feeling drowsy. You're lucky to have passed an actually zurgery on your arm."

Nicole scoffed. "You sound like a real doctor or something."

"It's because I am, fraulein." Klaus gave her a flat look.

"Oh, sorry, I should have known…"

"You thought that I vas a fake?" Klaus questioned, "You can zay zhat ze BLU Medic is nothing but a fake, but I am a true doctor. I took five years in medical school and spent four more as a surgeon for the Nazis."

Nicole frowned upon hearing the word 'Nazis'. "Oh…"

Klaus sighed, pushing his glasses up into place. He sat down next to her in another chain. "Fraulein, just because I vas a Nazi, doesn't mean I'm known as a bad person. In fact, I resigned my duty doing ze Holocaust. I couldn't take it anymore…watching every innocent being die as if for no reason at all …"

"Then, why did you sign up to be a Nazi?" Nicole asked.

"I didn't sign with any intention, I vas drafted into it. I had no choice." Klaus explained, "At first, it vasn't so bad, but when I vitnessed ze horrors zhey could do…I quit instantly."

"How did you quit if you were a Nazi?"

"I left my duty and ran avay to England. It vas a miracle to make it all in one piece, even leaving Germany itself vas a difficult challenge. After ze war, I spent three years in London, vhere I learned to speak English and vorked at a hospital. Up until I vas hired to vork at the Fortress vith the REDs, I returned to Germany and spent my time as a chemist."

"Oh, wow, that is some story." Nicole said in awe, "How was World War II like?"

Klaus frowned. "I hated it."

"I see…"

"But enough about me…What are the medical advances like in this time?" Klaus asked.

Nicole shrugged. "I don't know…I guess it's alright, with trying to cure cancer and all. It would be a little bit better with your Medigun, though." She smiled a bit.

Klaus grinned. "I zuppose so…"

Nicole paused, remembering the moment she first met him. She knew that it was him who had first saved her in the Fortress. "I know this seems kind of random right now, but I want to say thanks again for saving me back at the Fortress and all. I appreciate it."

Klaus shrugged. "It's no trouble at all. It is my job as a Medic, after all."

Just then, Bill entered in the office. "Howdy, ya'll!"

"Guten tag, Herr Engineer." Klaus smiled.

"Hey, Bill!" Nicole grinned.

"Nikki, how are ya feeling? I heard about the accident…" Bill asked.

"I'm feeling much better, thanks." Nicole answered.

"Great! I'm glad it was a quick and happy recovery." Bill patted Nicole on the back.

Just then, Benny came in the office. "G'day! How's Shelia doin'?" he inquired.

"I'm doing better than I was thirty minutes ago." Nicole happily replied.

"That a girl!" The Sniper grinned, "You're almost as tough as a water buffalo corpse I once slept in."

Nicole blinked in confusion. "Huh?"

"It's a complement." Benny added.

Nicole smile reappeared. "Oh, thanks!"

"Oi! Where's the lassie?" Angus came rushing in the office. "Is she alright?"

Nicole waved at the Demoman. "It's alright! I'm going to live!"

Angus laughed. "That's good, 'cause I didn't want ta bury what was left of ya in a soup can."

Nicole's grin turned into an uncomfortable one. "Oh, yeah…we wouldn't want that."

Kyle was the next to come in. "There's our little maggot!" he snickered, "You look lively as usual."

Nicole scoffed. "I'm not usually _that_ lively, but thanks."

"You are to me, maggot." Kyle sneered.

Nicole smirked. "Of course I am…"

"WHERE IS LITTLE GIRL?" Boleslav bolted into the room.

"Boleslav, stop!" Klaus jumped up and tried to block the Heavy. "Don't run her over, zhe's still healing."

"Oh, but is little girl all better?" Boleslav asked, coming to a quick halt.

Nicole giggled. "I'm mostly all better."

"YES!" Boleslav cheered.

Pyro was the next to come waltzing in. He muffled something as he pointed at Nicole.

"Ja, ze fraulein's good to go." Klaus said, as if answering Pyro's question.

Pyro cheered, waving his arms.

Nicole laughed. "Good to see you too, Pyro."

"Hey, is Nicole alright?"

Everyone looked over at the Scout, who was slowly coming into the office. "Ja, Herr Scout, zhe's alvight."

Jake smiled. "Cool."

"Don't worry about me, Jake, I'm tough." Nicole smirked.

Jake scoffed. "Define your meaning of 'tough', ya knucklehead." He teased.

"Tougher than you, that's for sure." Nicole sneered.

Jake pouted. "Ah! Totally uncool, Nicole!" he crossed his arms.

"Hey, I was only kidding."

Jake frowned. "Oh, so that's how you're going to be huh?"

"Come on, can't you take a joke?"

"At least I can take one better than you can!" Jake bragged.

Nicole frowned. "What?"

That's when Jake started to laugh. "See? That proves it right there!"

Nicole laughed as well. "Alright, I guess you can." She looked at everyone that surrounded her. It was somewhat of a surprise to her that a bunch of men who fought in a war and killed people on a daily basis would actually care for her, even in ways she did not clearly understand. "Thanks for visiting me, guys. I'm doing well."

"It's no problem, Nikki," Bill said, "we're always gonna be there for ya."

"And if anything happens, we'll stick by ya." Jake added, "It's a promise."

Nicole blushed a little, feeling a little bit embarrassed of having all the attention. But she smiled. "Thanks guys…I appreciate everything that you do."


	27. Look Who's in the Room

_Author's Note: SUPRISE! AN EXTRA UPDATE! :D I won't be here all next week, so I thought it would be good to update early this time. Now, here are the Anonymous Review Reply!_

_**Fire-Dragon 10**: I know, right? But good will overcome evil...soon. Yep, I bet the rich will use them...T_T ENGIBEES! They're SOOO cute! Spyders? Hm, I haven't seen one before. Thanks for the review! **Damien**: Ah, I see. I don't eat fruits at all. I'm a meat-eater, as I said before. Huh, I didn't notice that about you. That's very interesting._

_**ninja zebra**: Soon, he'll get it very soon. But not now. Thanks for the review! I'm very happy you love this story! ^_^_

_**of bows and arrows**: Really? Happy "Late" Birthday from me, then! I'm happy I made your birthday great by updating! Yep, Klaus was smart during the Second World War. Don't worry, you don't have to tell me your age. Thanks for the review! **Klaus**: *smiles* Danke._

_**Animed2Fox**: Yeah, but she was too worried about the consequences to say a word to them about it. Well, I can't tell you what happens yet, it will ruin the story. XD Thanks for the review! **Damien**: *hisses* And stay away from me, you fool! *crosses his arms and snorts*_

_Here's the next chapter! Enjoy! ^.^_

* * *

"Ahh, man…what a day…" Nicole walked up the stairs to her room. "I can't believe that it's already late…I wonder if the cat box needs any cleaning. Nah, I'll worry about that later. For now, I'm going to relax and play Left 4 Dead and Half-Life for the rest of the evening and forget the horrors I went through today…" she headed to the door and opened it. "Oh!"

Sitting on the floor and leaning against the wall was none other than Jèrèmie, blowing smoke from his mouth as he took the light brown cigarette out from his mouth. He only wore his white shirt, which was mostly unbuttoned, and left his blue coat lying on the bed. He glanced up at her. "Oh, bonjour, ma ami." He grinned.

Nicole sheepishly smiled. "Hi, s-sorry to walk in on you like that, I didn't realize that you were in here."

The BLU Spy shrugged. "You don't have to apologize, chéri, this is your room, after all. It's my fault for not asking permission first."

Nicole giggled. "You can stay in my room for as long as you like."

Jèrèmie smiled. "Merci."

Nicole closed the door behind her, coming up to Jèrèmie and sitting right in front of him. "So, how've you been?"

"Nothing's changed since this morning, if that's what you're asking." Jèrèmie sighed, smoking escaping from his mouth, "I've been doing fine."

Nicole shrugged. "Ah, that's cool, that's cool…" her smile slowly began to disappear.

Jèrèmie frowned. "What is wrong?"

"I kind of don't want to talk about it…" Nicole sighed, looking pitiful.

"Don't be ashamed to tell me, ma cher, go on and tell me."

Nicole took in a deep breath. "It's about Léon again…"

"What about him?"

"He…got mad at me…and…and…" Nicole began to tremble.

Jèrèmie grimaced. "What did he do to you?"

"He…beat me up earlier today."

Jèrèmie was completely silent, shocked to even say a single word.

"It was terrible, Jèrèmie…I was scared. All I said to him was to leave me alone. I tried to stand up against him, but he punished me for it. I don't know what to do anymore."

"That mindless simpleton!" Jèrèmie growled, baring his teeth, "How can he do such a horrible act?"

"He left me on the floor too, letting me to bleed in agony." Nicole added.

"If I was around, I would have shot him in the head…twice."

Nicole smiled weakly. "You do realize there's no such thing as respawning, right? So if you were to do that, then you would have to endure the rage of the RED Team."

Jèrèmie thought for a moment. "I suppose jou are right…But they would have to catch me first." He grinned.

Nicole laughed. "That's true, that's true."

Jèrèmie placed a gloved hand on Nicole's shoulder. "I am so sorry for not being there for you…You don't know how much it breaks my heart to not be there at all while that amateur Spy abuses you."

"It's okay, it's not your fault. You were off somewhere, right?" Nicole placed her hand over his.

Jèrèmie nodded. "Oui, I was out buying groceries at a nearby store…"

Nicole blinked, pulling her hand back. "For yourself?"

"Well, I have to make my meals somehow." Jèrèmie grinned.

"Oops, sorry. I forgot."

Jèrèmie laughed. "What do you think I am? A machine that runs on oil?"

"No," Nicole scoffed, "nothing like that at all. I just thought you were taken care of at the factory, but I forgot that the REDs don't even know that you're here."

Jèrèmie smirked. "You need to work on that memory problem of yours."

Nicole blushed. "Oh, stop it, Jèr, you're making fun of me!" she sheepishly smiled.

Jèrèmie slowly shook his head. "Non, I'm not."

"Yes you are."

"Prove it." Jèrèmie narrowed his coffee-colored eyes.

Nicole gave the Spy a curt nod. "So I will! As you are of aware of, I have a good memory and it functions just fine!"

"What was inside the RED Intelligence?"

Nicole thought for a moment or so. "Well…"

"Come on, chéri, I'm waiting." Jèrèmie sneered.

Nicole frowned. "That is an unfair question! Nobody told me what was in that briefcase!"

Jèrèmie snickered. "Hm, fair enough. So, what was the name of our BLU Solider?" he asked with a smirk.

Nicole grimaced at visualizing the insane Medic in her mind. "Uhh, Rayce?"

"No, but that was pretty close. It was Richard." Jèrèmie corrected.

Nicole sighed. "That was several months ago!"

"And jour point?" The Spy inquired.

"I…forgot…"

"Of course you did."

"Hey! It's not my fault! I've been busy with other things…"

Jèrèmie shrugged. "So it would seem."

Yeah," Nicole frowned. "That stupid RED Spy's a freaking jerk!" she crossed her arms.

"I've noticed…" Jèrèmie glowered, "If only I could teach 'im a thing or two about _proper_ manners."

Nicole smiled a little. "That would be great..." she stood up. "Hey, will you excuse me? I got to check on something."

"You're excuse, chéri." Jèrèmie grinned, putting the cigarette back in his mouth.

Nicole nodded as she headed to the door and opened it. "I might need to clean the litter box really quick, just in case…" she said quietly to herself as she closed the door behind her.

But suddenly, in an instant, Nicole was suddenly grabbed by the shoulders and slammed against the wall. She gasped in horror to see a familiar face appear in front of her.

"So who are you talking to now?" Léon demanded angrily.

Nicole swallowed hard. "Uh…Y-You see, I talk to myself…a lot."

The RED Spy frowned. "Very likely story, mademoiselle, now tell me the truth."

"I swear! I was talking to myself, h-honestly!" Nicole pleaded, shaking lightly, "I'm telling the truth! I would never lie!"

Léon's pale-blue eyes narrowed. "Hmph! You don't sound very truthful."

"Well excuse me for panicking! You came out of nowhere and scared me, okay?"

"Excuse moi for being a Spy." Léon smirked.

Nicole glared. "You've got to stop doing that."

"Now, who were you talking to?" Léon asked.

"Myself."

Léon sighed, pushing Nicole aside. "Hmm, stubborn, I see." He headed to the door and opened it. "Now what do we have in here?"

Nicole's heart jumped. "No wait!"

Léon glanced around the room, scanning for any signs of movement.

The room was empty, only to have a messy bed and papers on the desk. Léon looked back at Nicole, giving her a suspicious look.

"I didn't want you to see how messy my room is. I was talking to myself, cleaning my room."

"I see." Léon groaned, "You 'ave me convinced…for now."

Nicole held back the urge to sigh of relief. She nodded quietly.

"But try not to talk to yourself too much. Not only is it awkward for others, but jou may never know who's listening." Léon sneered. "Just out of curiosity, what were you talking to yourself about?"

Nicole kept from screaming. "I was talking about…my cat."

"Oh really?" one of Léon's eyebrows arched.

Nicole nodded. "Yeah! You know how I love my cat. She's a part of the family and all. I care for her very, very, very much." She smiled weakly.

"I think you are too over obsessed with your cat, ma petite chou-fleur." Léon chuckled, rubbing Nicole's head.

Instinctively, Nicole flinched at his touch. "Y-Yeah, everyone says that to me."

Léon headed for the stairs. "I'll be seeing jou soon, chéri."

Nicole sighed. "Well…"

Léon turned to her, giving her a cold and dark glare.

Nicole stiffened. "I mean…that's okay, I guess."

Léon gave her a curt nod and began to walk down the stairs.

"_It's amazing how he thinks he's in control, no_? _But he has no idea how stupid he is right now_."

Nicole smiled upon hearing the soft voice. "Yeah…I agree."

"What was that?" Léon glanced back.

"Nothing, I was just saying that I agree I talk too much about my cat." Nicole uncomfortably grinned.

Léon snorted. "Fine." He headed down the stairs and headed for the front door.

"_What a fool he is, that hideous cur_! _He sickens me to the stomach_."

Nicole nodded. "I'm with you, Jèr," she whispered back, "I don't blame you at all."


	28. Bedtime of Horror

_Author's Note: Alright-y now! I'm back! And here's the Anonymous Review Reply!_

_**Fire-Dragon10**: Yup, but Jeremie is okay! I did, I enjoyed my Thanksgiving. Thank you! Did you have a good one? Cool! That's great, I hope you get that pen you need. And let me know when you are done with it. Those poor Engibees! PYROFLIES! X3 They're so cute! Thanks for the review! **Damien**: ? What soft spot?_

_**of bows and arrows**: Yes, she is indeed VERY lucky. Oh, I'm sorry, are you alright? LOL! That's funny! No, they are not fun, they bother me to know end when I see one. XP Thanks for the review! I'm glad you liked the chapter. _

**_sakiichan_**_: Why, thank you very much. It pleases me to see another sastified reader. ^_^ I know, right? Even I want to punch his face once and show him a thing or two about manners. XD Yes, I love all the characters as well. I wish they were real. LOL! Thanks again for the review and I'm really glad you love this story. *bows*_

_**Animed2Fox**: Yes, I know you want action, and there will be...just not now. Leon will pay for it, trust me. Yes, I know I'm delaying, but he'll get it VERY, VERY soon. Sorry about the dealy. Thanks for the review! **Damien**: *hisses in pain* Why you-! *snarls and cloaks*_

_**Avada**: Well, if she were to do that, her friends (mostly the RED Team and Jeremie) and parents, would be in a rage. So I'm not so sure if that would be a good idea. But thanks for suggesting, and thanks for the review! **Nicole**: Suicide? I could probably do that in 2Fort so I can respawn...but I'm not so sure yet..._

_And now, here's the next chapter! Enjoy! :D_**  
**

* * *

Coming out from the bathroom, Nicole was in her usual night attire, wearing a blue spaghetti-strapped shirt, black-plaid slacks, and fuzzy black socks. "Phew, that Tank was a killer. If only Zoey wasn't a bot, then Cassie and I would have totally owned him, that monster-ape! But oh well, easy come easy go…" she headed towards her room. "I can't believe it's almost midnight. I hate it when I lose track of time when playing Left 4 Dead. How come I don't do it when playing Half-Life? Must be that Gordon Freeman reminds me of time for some strange reason…" she opened the door. "At least I'll have a good night…What the heck?"

Sitting on her bed was the RED Spy, wearing nothing but his mask, gloves, bright red boxers, and black socks. "Bonjour, ma petite chou-fleur."

Nicole felt like collapsing to the floor. "What are you doing in my bed…wearing boxers?"

"I have to apologize for my behavior earlier today. It was rude of me to treat you like I did." Léon explained, "So I want to make it up for you."

"By barging into my room with hardly any clothing at all?" Nicole frowned as her right eye began to twitch.

"Not really. I wish to…sleep with you." Léon smiled.

Nicole felt her stomach drop. "Huh?"

"Oui, I want to show an act of kindness, and this was the thing that came into mind."

Nicole backed away. "Uhh, n-no thanks, I'll just sleep on the couch."

"That would be very rude of you chéri, and I brought an alternative choice." He pointed over at the night stand near by.

Nicole eyes widened as she saw the Spy's Ambassador lying on the stand. "U-Uh, that's not necessary, man. I don't want the alternative."

"Then come over here with moi." Lèon's finger began beckoning towards him, urging her to come closer.

Nicole felt a chill down her spine as she switched the lights off. Inch by inch, she made her way towards the bed and sat on the other side. Then, she quickly got in the covers and laid down, facing away from him. Her face was flushed into a bright red.

Léon tucked himself in the covers as well, lying next to Nicole and facing her. "So, it's quite a night, isn't it?"

"Sure…whatever…" Nicole moaned.

"It was so wonderful of jou to let me stay for the night." Léon's arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her closer to him.

Nicole made a tiny squeak as she felt his chest pressed against her back. "Uh, y-yeah…"

"You forgive me, right?"

"For what?" Nicole questioned.

"For what I 'ave done to you."

"Well…" Nicole thought for a bit. Then, she sighed as she thought of what would happen if she were to say 'no'. "Of course I forgive you…just don't do it again." She imagined the RED Spy hurting her for saying the wrong answer.

"Jou 'ave my word, ma chéri." Léon noticed Nicole's dark-brown hair down to her shoulder blades. "My, my, my, I've never noticed how beautiful your hair is when down." He twirled a finger in the curly hair. "And it's so soft."

Nicole lower lip began to quiver. "T-Thanks…" she said, trying not to sound panicked.

Léon pulled his hand back and placed it over her chest. "What's the matter?"

"I'm…cold…" Nicole lied as her heart began to pound faster.

"Is that so?" the Spy smirked, "'Ere, let me help you with that." he pulled her even closer to him, leaving no space at all in between them.

Nicole grimaced. She was too afraid to move or even say a word. She laid there, wide awake and not facing Léon at all.

"Do jou feel better now, chéri?"

Nicole did not respond. She remained completely still.

"I'll take that as a 'yes'." Léon chuckled.

"Let…go…"

"So sorry, but I can't do that."

"Why not?"

Léon smirked. "Because I won't."

Nicole scowled. "I hate you…"

"Aww, I love you too, ma petite chou-fleur." Léon grinned as he kissed her on the cheek.

Nicole felt her heart skip a beat. "Please…no more."

"No more of what? I'm not doing anything harmful to jou." Léon began to pet Nicole's cheek.

"I've had enough for one night…Please, let me sleep." Nicole begged softly.

"I am."

"S-Stop touching me."

"Relax, chéri, just be grateful I don't 'ave my knife in my hands right now."

Nicole gasped and closed her mouth, trying to bear the torture.

What seemed like long hours had only been a few moments. Nicole laid wide awake, fearful for her very life. Soon, the moments expanded into an hour. Her eyes grew heavy quicker than she expected. And when she couldn't take it any longer, she closed her eyes, falling asleep.

* * *

_Nicole found herself dancing with the BLU Spy. She wore a sleeveless red dress that came down to her knees and flat, black shoes. Her hair was down, but had a satin red ribbon tied around it. "Huh? What happened?" she blinked._

_Jèrèmie laughed. "We are dancing, chéri, what else do jou think we are doing?" he waltzed around with her, spinning around to a rhythm that was not clear to Nicole._

_Nicole smiled sheepishly. "Oh, s-sorry, I guess I wasn't paying attention…"_

_"It's no trouble at all." Jèrèmie smiled._

_Nicole looked down at her dress. "Huh, I don't remember this dress at all…"_

_"You look absolutely beautiful, chéri." Jèrèmie complemented._

_Nicole blushed. "Uhh, t-thanks…"_

_Jèrèmie stopped dancing, bowing to Nicole. "Merci, I enjoyed this wonderful dance."_

_Nicole curtsied. "Uhh, me too...thank you…"_

_Jèrèmie took Nicole's hand. "Mademoiselle, there's something I always wanted to say to jou…"_

_Nicole's amber eyes glistened. "What?"_

_"I l-"_

_At that exact moment, Jèrèmie's head exploded. His blood and brains splattered all over Nicole. She screamed as she jumped back, watching with horror as Jèrèmie's body fell to the floor with a thud. _

_"NO! JÈRÈMIE!" Nicole wailed, trying to avoid stepping on the spilt blood. Tears flowed down on her face. "WHY DOES THIS HAVE TO HAPPEN?"_

_Suddenly, an evil laugh was heard. "Aww, I'm sorry about that. But that Spy was a mindless fool."_

_Nicole looked up to see the RED Spy slowly approaching her, with a gun in his gloved hand. "YOU MONSTER! HOW COULD YOU?" she turned away from him._

_But Léon appeared right in front of her, grabbing her arms. "Shall we?" he smiled crookedly._

_"NO! NO! LET GO!" Nicole sobbed, trying to pull away from him._

_But Léon yanked her towards him and began dancing around with her. "HA HA HA! What is wrong? Jou and I are meant for each other, ma petite chou-fleur."_

_Nicole was spun around wildly, having no control of the situation that she was in. She felt his hand inches below her waist. The other gripped her right wrist. She was trapped, and had no way out. The lights dimmed and an eerie red light loomed over them. Nicole could even hear the sounds of echoing voices moaning and howling, like many souls were in deep suffering. It seemed that the ballroom was becoming more haunted as time passed by._

_"Forget about that terrible BLU Spy, he meant nothing to jou." Léon whispered._

_Nicole shook her head. "No! He meant the whole world to me! You're lying!"_

_Léon's pale blue eyes began to glow. "Hmph! Why would I lie to you? You belong to me, and that's final." he waltzed around the ballroom, forcibly guiding Nicole along._

_"Never! My heart is not with you! I hate you, Léon!" Nicole growled, trying not to sound intimidated._

_"HA! You can't stop me! I can easily over power you." he stopped dancing and pulled back. _

_Suddenly, Nicole felt as if an unknown, heavy force was pulling her down. She fell on her knees. She looked up at him, and gasped as she witnessed something terrible._

_Not only was Léon suddenly shirtless, but it seemed that he was shrouded in shadows. "Hehehe…I can smell jour fear, chéri. You have no hope. I'll have your soul, and when I do, it will be mine forever." he smiled, revealing two extended canine teeth sticking out from under his upper lip._

_Nicole screamed as she tried to get up and flee, but the pull on her was too strong. "AHH! Get away from me!"_

_Léon chuckled weakly. "So sorry, chéri, but you have no say in this." his hand reached out towards her, grabbing her by the throat._

_Nicole was lifted up to him to eye level. She dangled a few feet in the air. "L-Let go! I don't want this!"_

_Léon snorted, rolling his eyes. "Oh please, I don't care what you think. Now, I must claim what is rightfully mine." he leaned towards her, kissing her on the lips._

_Nicole eyes widened as she felt his mouth against hers. When she tried to move, she couldn't even lift a single finger. She felt weak, as if the very life was being drained out from her by his kiss. She looked at him, only to find not so human eyes stare right back at her. Although she couldn't tell what kind they were, she knew that they were quite monstrous as his ice-blue eyes continued glowing. Finally, she closed her eyes and blacked out, remembering nothing more than pure suffering._

_

* * *

_

"Good morning, ma petite chou-fleur."

Nicole woke up to a familiar, yet horrifying voice. One of her eyes opened. "W-What?"

"It's morning, chéri, wake up."

Nicole groaned as the other eye opened. "What? Since when?"

Léon laughed. "Now don't act ridiculous. You can see for yourself."

Nicole was horrified to notice that the RED Spy still had his arms around her, right below her breasts. She swallowed hard. "Uhh, yeah…I g-guess it is…" she paused for a moment before grimacing. "You didn't do anything to me while I was asleep, did you?"

Léon chuckled. "Not yet, ma chéri." he rose and got up from the bed. "I 'ave to be leaving now, but I enjoyed our little time together."

Nicole cowered under the covers, not wanting to see the Spy anymore. "Yeah, I guess you have to…"

Léon grabbed his shirt and coat and flung them over his shoulder. He carefully slipped into his shoes. "This doesn't mean that we won't have our affair, we're still going to have it."

Nicole curled into a ball, whimpering softly.

Léon smiled as he cloaked. "_I'll be seeing you again, petite chou-fleur_…"

Nicole remained still, waiting for the sound of the door opening and then closing. Once she did, she immediately jumped out from her bed and headed for the bathroom, grabbing her robe hanging from her doorknob. "SHOWER! NOW!"


	29. Team Fortress What?

_Author's Note: And now it's time for the Anonymous Review Reply!_

_**Avada**: Oh, okay, I get it now. But what does that word mean? It's okay though. Nicole said that it's okay, and thanks for the review!_

_**Fire-Dragon10**: Huh, interesting...what is that? That's great! I'm happy you had a good time! ^_^ Oh no! I hope you find the picture soon. Thanks for the review! **Damien**: Ah...*stratches her neck*_

_**of bows and arrows**: Yeah, they sure do that sometimes. XP Yes! I'm glad your finger is better. :3 Thanks for the review! **Leon**: ...Let me know how this turns out...*goes the other way and cloaks*_

_**Animed2Fox**: I know there's a lot of drama, but I'll make up for it. I promise that I will do my very best. POTF took place in the actual Fortress, and New York isn't as exciting as 2Fort, maybe that's why. Thanks for the review! :D **Leon**: MERDE! *dodges* Miss me! HA HA HA!_

_And now, here's the next chapter. I apologize for it being a little late. T_T Enjoy! :)_

* * *

"I'm coming! I'm coming!" Nicole shouted as she headed to the front door. "I wonder who it could be this time…" she said to herself as she opened the door. "Ah, Cassie…what a surprise to see you here…"

"Hi!" The red head waved happily.

"Do you want to come in? It's kind of cold." Nicole offered.

"Nah, I'm good." Cassie shrugged, holding up a wrapped package with red and blue ribbons tied to it. "Here, take it."

"What for? It's not going to be Christmas for about two weeks. Why now?" Nicole asked.

"Well, it was driving me crazy having it in my procession! I couldn't stand it anymore. I already had the one my uncle gave me, so I thought that now would be the best time to give you your early Christmas present."

"Are you sure?" Nicole questioned.

"Yeah, yeah! Go on and take it!"

Nicole reluctantly took the package away. "Let me guess, it's another game, isn't it?"

"I know you're going to love this one!" Cassie smiled, clasping her hands together. "Open it now! I want to see your reaction!"

Nicole sighed, giving her friend a dark look. "If it's Left 4 Dead 2, your gift is going to be a knitted sweater with a turtle neck, and I'll make sure it has butterflies and flowers. Then I will laugh at you as I force you to put it on for pictures." she pulled the ribbons away and began tearing the colorful wrapping paper.

Cassie began to tremble of excitement, watching Nicole's every move. "Here it comes…" she said to herself.

Once she tossed the paper aside, Nicole's eyes flew open and her lower jaw dropped. She could not believe what she was seeing. "Holy monkey on a stick…"

The cover had a big, bald guy with a big minigun and three other men behind him. The one holding a wrench had overalls, goggles, and a yellow helmet. The other next to him wore a gas mask, what seemed to be a fire-proof suit, and carrying yellow tanks on his back. The third had sunglasses on with a hat, vest, and red shirt. On the spine had a man in a red suit and mask, and on the back had three other characters with screenshots of the game. "Team Fortress 2…" Nicole read the title. She glanced up at Cassie, giving her a horrified look. These were not only video game characters that completely attracted her attention, they were real people she knew.

"Well, what do you think?" Cassie asked.

"Holy crap…" was all Nicole could say.

"I knew you'd love it!" Cassie gave her best friend a quick hug. "We have to play it at least this week! Do you want me to point the guys out?" she pointed at the bald guy. "That right there is the-"

"Heavy…" Nicole interrupted.

Cassie blinked of surprise. But she continued on by pointed at the guy with the wrench. "And that right there is-"

"Engineer…Pyro…Sniper…Spy…Medic…Scout…Soldier…Demoman…"

Cassie frowned. "Wow, how did you know all nine classes? I thought I didn't introduce you to Team Fortress 2 at all before now."

"I…don't know…"

Cassie shrugged. "Eh, whatever, it's no big deal. You must have overheard some nerds at school or something."

Nicole slowly nodded her head. "Yeah…sure…let's go with that…"

Cassie smiled. "Okay then! I'll see you around! Oh, do you want to have our sleepover tonight? I've got to show you all the 'Meet the Team' videos and so much more! It's going to be so much fun! It'll be epic!"

Again, Nicole nodded. "Yeah, sure…I'd like that. I'll talk with my parents when they get here…"

"Okay! My mom said it was cool for you to come over. Well, see ya!" with that, Cassie walked away, waving at Nicole.

Nicole held up one hand to close the front door. She looked down at the cover again. She headed to the kitchen and placed it on the counter before screaming at the top over her lungs. "HOW CAN I NOT KNOW THIS? HOW DID THIS EVEN HAPPEN? THERE'S NO POSSIBLE WAY THAT THIS IS REAL! THIS HAS GOT TO BE SOME TRICK!" she looked down at the cover again, focusing on the title. She screamed again. "WHY? WHY DOES EVERYTHING HAPPEN TO ME? I CAN'T LET THE RED TEAM, JÈRÈMIE, AND DAMIEN KNOW ABOUT THIS! THEY WON'T HANDLE THE TRUTH! AND I CAN'T JUST TELL CASSIE THAT THIS 'TEAM FORTRESS 2' THING IS COMPLETELY REAL! SHE'LL GO INSANE!" She stumbled over to the living room as if she was just raised from the dead and plopped down on the nearest couch almost face-first. "I need time to think this through and get my head on straight…"

* * *

Nicole was at her computer, typing and clicking furiously. Once she was on the Goggle page, she type 'Team Fortress 2' on the search. "Just relax…this might be some kind of joke, or a coincidence…or both. But I bet it won't even come up on the search."

The results were shocking to Nicole. Links, images, and sites were all over the page. She swallowed hard as she clicked on the images. "Well, this might be something else. I mean, it can't be really like the Fortress I know of."

But Nicole was proven wrong yet again. All nine classes were shown on one image standing together as if a group photo was taken. She clicked on the biggest on. "Oh my…This can't be right…" she examined each of the nine characters. "They're exactly the REDs I know…My friends…and Léon…on a video game? Have I gone mad? Or do I need to lay off the chocolate? Either way! That's them! Those are the guys alright! One-hundred percent accurate! But how…?" She looked at all sorts of other images. "RED and BLU Teams, Badlands, Dustbowl, RED Spy being the nasty pervert that he is, BLU Spy being totally awesome, sapped sentries, Spy Checking, Jarate, cardboard cows, the Announcer? EVERYTHING IS ALL WHAT I KNOW OF BACK AT THE FORTRESS! Except for those cardboard cows…I wonder why the heck that's there. Meh, I'll ask Bill later…" Nicole closed the page with a blank expression. "This is completely crazy, can things get any worse?"

That's when the door to her room flung open. "Bonjour, petite chou-fleur! I'm back!"

Nicole slammed her head to the desk. "Yep, they just did…" she moaned quietly.

"Ah, what seems to be the trouble now?" Léon came up to Nicole from behind. "Are jou sure you didn't get enough sleep last night?" he laughed.

"Not right now, Léon, I'm busy…" Nicole moaned.

Léon frowned. "Busy with what?" He placed a hand on her right shoulder.

Nicole flinched. "None of your business…"

"None of my business?" Léon asked, grabbing Nicole and shoving her off from her chair.

Nicole fell flat on her back. "Hey! What the heck are you doing?" she jumped up to her feet.

Léon sat by the computer. "Now how do jou work this little computer of yours?"

"I'm not telling! Get off!" Nicole growled, trying to push Léon off.

But instead of moving like Nicole had hoped, the RED Spy turned to her, giving her a nasty glare.

Being very intimidated, Nicole slowly backed away from him without a single word of defense.

Léon turned back to the computer. "Now what were you looking at that wasn't part of my business?" he demanded.

Nicole sighed, knowing that he did not spy on her during her search. "Well, you see, I don't remember…"

"Jou don't remember? Ha! That's a laugh. Now stop lying and tell me."

Nicole swallowed. "You see, it's kind of complicated…"

"Hmph, I'll just find out for myself…" Léon clicked and opened a web page. "Hm? What is this? Favorites?" he clicked on the 'Favorites' button.

"No! Wait!" Nicole gasped.

"Oh? What's this? It looks like you're keeping something from moi." Léon sneered at Nicole.

Nicole frowned. "It's not what you think! I swear!"

"Hm? This machine is easier to operate than I expected." Léon chuckled, moving the curser to a link and clicking on it.

"No! Stop!" Nicole begged.

"Stop what? Since you're not telling me a word, I'm finding out for myself, whether jou like it or not!" Léon hissed.

The page that came up was filled with pictures of deformed zombie-like characters and four other characters with guns. Léon stared blankly at the page. "What is this?"

Nicole quietly sighed of relief. "That's it, you finally caught me! That is Left 4 Dead, it's a game I like to play."

"Then what's this?" Léon gestured towards the screen.

"It's a Left 4 Dead fan page…" Nicole smiled weakly.

"Next time, keep this undead stuff away from me…I don't understand any of this…" Léon stood up and began to leave.

"What? That's it? That's all you need to know?"

Léon nodded. "Oui, but most of that is garbage, so why would I need to know more of it?"

"Oh, okay…that's fine, I guess…"

Léon rolled his eyes as he left the room, closing the door behind him. "Au revoir, chéri …"

Nicole sat down on her bed. "Thank goodness, I'm glad that's over with…" she fell over on her back, relaxing on the bed. "Good thing he only clicked on favorites instead of history…The secret is still safe…" suddenly, She sat up, looking horrified. "OH CRAP! I LEFT THE BOX DOWNSTAIRS! Err, wait…I put it under the bed…Phew, never mind…" Nicole laid back down. "I need to go to Cassie's house tonight and get this whole Team Fortress 2 thing out of my head, hopefully…"


	30. The Not So Great Sleepover

_Author's Note: Hello! It's time for the Anonymous Review Reply again!_

_**fred the fish**- Yep, but let me explain really quick. They are in fact real characters, but their game characters have been based from them. So technically (in Nicole's world), they are game characters. :D I'm glad you liked that twist in the last chapter. Thanks for the review!_

_**Animed2Fox**- Thanks. ^_^ I'm happy you liked that chapter. LOL! You'll find out really soon what will happen. Thanks for the review! **Damien**: *hisses and snarls* You better run, fool! _

_**of bows and arrows**- Yeah, it was rather awkward for her indeed, just wait...it's gets even more awkward in this chapter. XP Yup, Leon is not the best with modern computers. XD Thanks for the review! **Leon**: *laughs to see you die and runs off to a safe place* YOU WILL NEVER KILL ME! NEVER! HA HA!_

_**Avada**: Oh I see. Thanks! Yeah, it pretty much fits Nicole. X3 Thanks for the review!_

_**Fire-Dragon10**: I know, right? If he did find out, things would go bad to worse. (But it does go from bad to worse anyway for Nicole). Huh...that's very interesting. I guess Leon is kind of like that. Oh no! Not the picture! Oh well, I forgive. Just take your time. Let me know when you finished it. Yeah, that's true. Thanks for the review! Damien: *smiles and keeps scratching the neck* I see someone likes it._

_**sakiichan**- Hello there! I'm pleased to see you happy with my updates. :3 She sure did, and she's not so sure about playing it yet. You will see what happens next in this chapter...obviously, LOL! Cardboard cows...XD I sometimes wonder what is up with thoses things. COOL! I'm happy for you! I hope you enjoy TF2 and L4D2. Thanks for the review!_

_Just a quick note, I will be gone for a while after this week. So please look forward to an extra update soon! :D But for now, enjoy this next chapter! Oh, I put some references of some stuff (like Silent Hill and Doctor Who, of which belong to their rightful owners), and let me know if I got any of them wrong. Thanks. ^.^_

* * *

"Anyway, I'm so glad you can make it!" Cassie smiled as she guided Nicole into her room.

"Yeah, me too…" Nicole smiled back, carrying her backpack over her shoulders.

Cassie opened the door. "Here, you can put your stuff on my bed for now."

Nicole nodded and threw the backpack on the queen sized bed. "Thanks."

"No problem."

Nicole took a quick glance at the room. It was a fair sized one with a desk and computer at one corner and a small bookshelf at the other. The closet door towards the left was closed and the window at the back of the room was blocked by blinds.

"So, are you totally excited about your gift, Nicole?" Cassie asked, looking quite hyper.

Nicole gave her a confused look. "What?"

"Duh! Don't you remember? Team Fortress 2!"

Nicole frowned. "Oh yeah…that…"

"I can't wait to play it with you! What's your first class you're going to be? Engineer? Medic? I prefer Pyro 'cause I get to burn people and it's fun! Also, I like being the Sniper! It's fun getting headshots! But what I really like playing as is the Spy. He's so sneaky and it's fun scaring the crap out of people."

All Nicole wanted to do was to scream and run out of the room. But she smiled uncomfortably and nodded instead. "Ahh…very interesting…"

"So? Who's your first class gonna be?" Cassie asked again.

Nicole shrugged. "Well, I don't know…They all seem pretty cool to me…"

"Hm, maybe you should start out with the Demoman, they blow up stuff and that's about it, really…Or maybe you should be the Scout. What do you think?"

Nicole shrugged. "I'll…have to think it over later."

Cassie nodded in understanding. "Oh, I get it. That's cool, but you're going to have to let me know by the time we start playing! We should fight at 2Fort first! I'll be BLU, it's my favorite team!"

Nicole sighed. "Bunch of mean jerks…" she muttered to herself, remembering the hard times she had at the Fortress in Dustbowl.

"What?" Cassie blinked.

"Nothing…" Nicole moaned.

"Oh, so you're deciding to be a RED, huh? Hmph! Fine! If that's how you're going to play it!" Cassie pouted as she crossed her arms.

"Wow, Cassie," Nicole rolled her eyes, trying not to make a big deal of her situation. "you do realize that it's just a game, right?"

Cassie suddenly giggled. "Yep, I still love you, Nicole!" she hugged her friend. "That reminds me, I need to show you those 'Meet the Team' videos!"

"Hey, um, Cassie, before you do that…Can I ask you a couple of questions?"

"Sure, what is it?"

Nicole hesitated for a moment. "Let's say that this girl likes this guy…and he likes her back, what if she was our age and the guy was over thirty or forty, what would you say to that?"

Cassie immediately made a disgusted face. "EWW! I'd say that that girl's got some freakish issues or something…"

Nicole frowned, giving her a dark look. "I meant as friends, not like that, Cassie! But thanks for your opinion, anyway. Oh, and on another note…What if this other guy likes her, but she hates him, same ages with the girl and guy…And this guy wants to…you know…get a little action with her, if you know what I mean…"

"What are you trying to say?" Cassie questioned, giving her a peculiar look.

"What would you do in that situation?"

Cassie thought for a moment. "Well, I would call the cops on him, that little nasty!"

"Even if he was calling her 'petite chou-fleur' all the time and being overly flirty?"

Cassie froze as her eyes widened with surprise. "Say that fancy word again…"

"'Petite chou-fleur'…?" Nicole guessed.

"Where the crap did you hear that?" Cassie demanded.

"Uhhh, somewhere…?"

"Aw, geez, you've got to see the 'Meet the Spy' video before I can explain everything else…" Cassie took Nicole by the hand and began to guide her to the computer.

* * *

"There? You understand now, Nicole?"

Nicole stared at the screen, being somewhat horrified of what she just saw. "Can you repeat that last line that RED Spy says?" she asked.

"Yeah, sure, I bet you didn't catch that." Cassie clicked on the red bar of the Youtube video and pulled it back a bit. She released the button on the mouse again.

Nicole watched the Spy pick up the picture of him and a woman in a blue dress walking side-by-side and holding hands. As he examined the photo, he sighed, "Ahh, ma petite chou-fleur…" he smiled as he tucked the photo away in his coat and walked off with the BLU Intel before the video faded. Cassie paused the video and looked over at Nicole, waiting patiently for her response.

Nicole swallowed hard upon seeing the scene again. "Yeah, that's what I thought I heard…So, what does 'ma petite chou-fleur' mean, anyhow?"

"It means 'my little cauliflower' in French." Cassie answered, "Oh! And did you know that the Spy also has an etch of the Scout's Mom on his Ambassador?"

Nicole grimaced, visualizing the RED Spy's Ambassador in her mind. "And, that RED Spy and the BLU Scout's Mom had been having affairs and loved each other?" Nicole inquired.

Cassie nodded. "Yeah, why?"

Nicole felt her stomach drop and her skin turned pale. "I need a moment…" she got up and headed towards the door.

"Hey, what's wrong?" the red head frowned.

"I need to use the bathroom. Please excuse me…"

"Alright, hurry back, you _need_ to see the rest of the videos."

Nicole nodded as she left the room and headed straight for the bathroom across the hall. Once she got there, she flicked the lights on and closed the door behind her. The bathroom was covered in bright, creamy tiles all over. The double sinks had a white counter, and both the toilet and tub had a polished look to it.

Nicole turned on the sink and began scooping the water with her hands and washing her face. "Awww, I feel so sick to my stomach…" she groaned, splashing herself with the water, "Good thing that this place is super clean. I'm glad her mom's a neat freak…" she grabbed the towel to her right and dried her face off. Nicole straightened as she tossed the towel aside. She almost screen upon seeing a terrifying image on the reflection of the mirror.

It was Léon standing right behind her, smiling back at her. "Bonjour, ma chéri."

Nicole almost screamed, but his gloved hand quickly covered her mouth.

"Shh! Do you want to let everyone know that I'm here?" The RED Spy hissed, pulling back his hand.

"What the heck are _you_ doing here?" Nicole demanded, turning towards Léon.

"Well, I overheard that you were coming 'ere, so I decided to come along." Léon chuckled.

Nicole frowned. "You're insane! I'm leaving!" she headed for the door.

But Léon blocked the door, locking it as well. "Not so fast, I just want to know what's wrong, ma cher."

Nicole took in a deep breath. "It's nothing…I feel dizzy, that's all."

Léon's eyebrow arched. "From what, if I may ask?"

"From…not getting enough sleep." Nicole said, backing away from the Spy.

"Then I suggest jou sleep well, ma petite chou-fleur." Léon approached her, wrapping his arms around her.

Nicole felt her heart race wildly. She knew that she wasn't the first to be called that according to a certain Youtube video. She also knew that she wasn't the first girl that he had spent precious time with either. "I was…until you showed up…" she moaned.

Léon laughed. "Very funny, now let me stay." He commanded.

Nicole gasped. "What? Are you crazy? I wanted to spent time with my friend…_alone_, and now you want to join?" she shook her head. "I don't think so!"

"Oh? I do believe that my Ambassador says otherwise." he pulled his gun out from his coat and pointed it at Nicole's head.

Nicole gulped. "I mean…just stay out of sight, and you'll be fine."

"Merci, chéri." The Spy smiled as he cloaked.

Nicole sighed as she unlocked the door and left the bathroom. She headed back toe Cassie's room. "Hey, I'm back."

"What took you so long?" Cassie asked, still at the computer. "C'mon, we got plenty of videos to see!"

"Uh, yeah, let's wait 'til later, okay?"

Cassie blinked. "What's wrong? You look a little scared all of a sudden."

"Yeah, about that…It's…because…"

"DON'T TELL ME!" Cassie shouted, "You've been playing Silent Hill, haven't you? Why would you be borrowing _my_ games and since when?"

Nicole frowned, giving her an unpleasant look. "I never borrowed your games, nor do I want to even touch those dreadful games. You're the one who plays those freakish games all night long and get these terrible nightmares about…things that I cannot imagine. I don't even know why you bought them in the first place or what gave you the thought of doing it!"

Cassie began to tremble. "Hold me…" she came right up to Nicole and put her arms around her. "I'm scared…Those manikins…they're evil! I get creeped out just by looking at manikins at stores!"

Nicole sighed, patting her friend on the back. "It's fine, Cassie, they're not real, I mean, the freakish possessed ones, just calm down. There's no such thing as evil, processed manikins."

"What about the bleeding mirror? It's so horrifying! Sometimes, I'm even afraid to go into my own bathroom knowing that my mirror would ooze out blood for no reason whatsoever!"

"That's entirely impossible, unless you _physically_ happen to smear blood on the mirror for no reason at all, which is kind of weird."

"WHAT ABOUT PYRAMID HEAD? HE'S GONNA KILL ME!"

"For the last time, there's no such thing as a monster with a 3-D triangle for a head! You're way out of your mind! You do realize that those games make your brain very sick, I should say. Look at me, how do you think my mind stays healthy? You need to stop playing Silent Hill. How many times do you play them?"

"As many times as I can, so I can beat the games."

"You really need to play something else Cassie, like get Left 4 Dead 2 or something not as…uh, mind-rotting. I mean, you should try mind-building games like Portal or Half-Life. You have to try the Half-Life series, I love them!"  
Cassie frowned. "It's because you love Gordon Freeman."

"Not really, but that's one reason…"

"Come on, Nicole, can't we talk about something else? Please? I'm getting tired and sick of the same old discussions about not playing Silent Hill. It's my life, and I'm going to do whatever I want with it."

"Alright then, if you want to be a paranoid person who stays in the house all day just so some non-existing monsters and demons won't intrude, then that's fine with me. I'm going to make my life the fullest it can be." Nicole smirked.

"Shut up, Nicole…" Cassie moaned, "Let's talk about…Tetris."

"Why Tetris?" Nicole's eyebrow arched.

"In Soviet Russia, Tetris talks about you!" Cassie giggled.

Nicole sighed. "Ha ha, very funny, Cassie, now seriously, what about Tetris?"

"I dunno, it has great music, doesn't it?"

"I suppose, it's cool. But it gets boring after a while…you know? Not to be so critical or anything, but fitting rotating blocks into correct places seems not as entertaining after four to five hours of playing it. It's a fun game, but still…"

"C'mon, Nicole, be a true video game nerd!"

"At least I don't play games that scare the crap out me, give me such terrible nightmares and reasons to be afraid of the dark."

"Oh no, Nicole, you shouldn't be afraid of the dark," Cassie corrected, "You should be afraid of…"

"Of what? Spies?" Nicole grinned. Just then, something hit her on the back of the head, hard. "Ah! Geez!"

Cassie did not seem to notice Nicole at all. "Well, that's a pretty good reason…"

Nicole gasped as she felt another hit to the back of her head. "Ow!"

"But seriously, you should be afraid of…the Vashta Nerada."

Nicole gave her a confused look. "What are you talking about?"

"They could be in any shadow, not all shadows, but _any_ shadow…"

"Now what are you going about?" Nicole demanded.

Cassie gasped and clung on to Nicole as she noticed a shadow by her window. "Oh no! It's the Weeping Angels! They seek the phone box, and they think the TARDIS is here! How can they even think that?"

Nicole rolled her eyes in annoyance. "Cassie, I-"

"Don't blink, Nicole! Don't look away! Don't blink, or you're dead!" Cassie whimpered, focusing deeply at the shadow by the window.

"Cassie, it's just a tree. You've really got to stop watching those Doctor Who episodes. You're really beginning to act crazy now."

Cassie looked at Nicole and smiled. "Exterminate…"

Nicole sighed. "Seriously, I can't help with your problems if you keep diving right into them."

"Alright fine, let's get out of the subject…for now."

"Let's play Mario Kart DS or something…"

Cassie nodded in agreement. "Sure, let's."

Nicole smiled as she headed towards the light switch, turning them off.

"Nicole, what are you doing?" Cassie asked.

"HEY, WHO TURNED OUT THE LIGHTS?"

Cassie screamed. "AHHH!"

Nicole laughed. "HA HA! Got'cha!"

Cassie pouted. "Nicole! Seriously?"

"Yep, seriously, and I don't get why the Vaska Nevada is so terrifying to you."

Cassie scowled. "Nicole, you said it wrong! It's 'Vashta Nerada', not 'Vaska Nevada', you fail!"

Nicole rolled her eyes. "Whatever, it doesn't matter, besides, I'm not a big Doctor Who fan like you are. So let's just do something else and calm down."

"_I suppose she needs to see a psychiatrist_…" a familiar voice whispered in Nicole's ear.

Nicole shivered, "Hey! Stop that!" she muttered quietly.

Cassie looked over at her friend worryingly. "Uh, Nicole? Are you okay?"

Nicole nodded. "Yeah, yeah, I'm fine…I thought I heard something…" she grunted as she felt another hit on her head. "Ow! I think it was the air conditioner…"

"Ah, I see." Cassie nodded in understanding.

Nicole looked behind her to see who kept hitting her, but there was no one there. "Knock it off, will you?" she demanded softly.

"_Ha ha ha, just 'aving a bit of fun, chéri_."

"Please, not in front of my friend, she'll think I'm insane or something…"

"Why are you talking to yourself, Nicole?" Cassie asked.

"Uh, there's something stuck in my head, and I can't get it out."

"Let me guess…" Cassie smiled, "It's-"

"No! It's not that Pyramid Head you keep talking about," Nicole snapped, feeling somewhat annoyed, "or the Nevada-shadow thing, or those stone angels, now will you stop it? My brain hurts from thinking about all the problems you have right now!"

* * *

Cassie was asleep on her bed while Nicole sat next to her. She was wide awake and completely worried. "Thank goodness Cassie finally fell asleep…" she looked over at the clock on the night stand nearby. "And it's two in the morning. Great…just great…Now what do I do?"

"_Jou can talk to moi_…"

Nicole jumped in alarm. "Léon, not right now, I'm trying to get some sleep!"

The RED Spy removed his invisible cloak, appearing right next to Nicole. "Hm, it sure doesn't look like it, chéri."

Nicole moaned, looking away from Léon. "Leave me alone, creep."

Léon laughed, sitting next to her on the bed. "I'm not doing anything…" he sneered.

Nicole pulled the covers over her head. "Go away, it's two in the morning…and you're bothering me."

"No! That wasn't our agreement." Léon pulled the covers away from Nicole.

"What agreement?"

"Jou said as long as I was out of your friend's sight, then I could stay. Since your friend is sleeping, that means that I can show myself to you." Léon explained, giving her a cold glare.

Nicole flinched as she saw his dark look, but sat up straight in order to not show any kind of fear towards him. "Hmph! You pointed your gun at me! That wasn't fair at all!"

"How else was I supposed to convince you, ma petite chou-fleur?"

Nicole shivered upon hearing the unpleasant French phrase. "I dunno, ask nicely or something?"

Léon chuckled. "I don't think so."

Nicole whimpered. "Ehh! Will you please get out?"

"I'm not going anywhere until jou fall asleep."

Nicole gave the Spy a peculiar look. "What is that suppose to mean?" she gasped, realizing something. "No way! You're not going to do it while I'm asleep, are you?"

Léon grinned. "That depends…But what fun would it be if you're not really a part of it?"

Nicole grimaced. "You're a sick, sick, man, Léon…"

"Aw, I love you too." Léon smirked.

Nicole began to tremble. "Do you mind? I'm trying to get some sleep…"

"As of now, oui, I do mind." Léon answered, leaning towards Nicole and giving her a kiss on the cheek.

Nicole felt a chill down her spine. "Aww! Come on! I need some sleep!"

"You look lively, chéri." Léon said with a grin.

Nicole growled. "I'm awake because I'm still worried that you might do something bad to me!"

"Ha! You think that I'll rape you in your sleep? Hmm…that does sound like a good plan…"

Nicole's left eye twitched, but she kept as quiet as possible.

"But no, I'd rather have you awake rather than asleep when we 'ave our little affair. I'll just be 'ere, watching jou and making sure that you're not going to do anything." Léon continued, focusing on Nicole carefully.

Just like before, Nicole frowned at the RED Spy before she pulled the covers over her head. "Good night!" she groaned, settling comfortably in the bed, "And don't you dare touch me!" she rolled on to her side away from Léon.

Léon chuckled, gently stroking her back. "Bonne nuit, ma petite chou-fleur…"

Nicole shivered, curling up in a ball. "Stop calling me that!" she growled weakly, showing a bit of cowardliness.


	31. Léon's Scary Attack!

_Author's Note: Hello there! It's time once again for the Anonymous Review Reply! :D_

_**Animed2Fox**- Yes, that was really close, wasn't it? Lucky for you, this chapter has plenty of action! Thanks for the review!_

_**of bows and arrows**- Wow, sounds like you were busy this summer. Me too, I wrote a bunch of chapters last summer and I'm almost done writing the whole story. Yes, Cassie is one of those spazz-y friends..who can't calm down XD. I'm glad you like the story! :D Thanks for the review, and MERRY CHRISTMAS! *hug* Leon: *throws the crystal on the ground* Nice try, you think that I would fall for such a thing? HA! You're ignorant. *leaves* Let me know when you came up with something better. _

_**Avada**- Leon's like that because he's kind of desperate, and he thinks he can easily over-power Nicole. XP Awesome! That sounds like fun! Can I help? LOL! Thanks for the review!_

_Well, since I won't be here for a couple of weeks, I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! ^_^ And now, here's the next chapter, enjoy!_

* * *

Nicole entered her house, slugging into the living room and closing the door behind her. "That was terrible! I can't believe that he kept bothering until I fell asleep! That's totally ridiculous! I'm just going to go to my room and sleep some more…and there better be noting that's going to stop me…"

"_That's what jou think, petite chou-fleur_."

Nicole instantly froze. "Oh crap…" she immediately ran for the office room to her right and cowered under the desk in desperation.

"_HA HA HA HA! Jou think hiding will save you? I don't think so_…"

Nicole curled into a tight ball, hoping not to expose herself, and kept absolutely still and quiet.

The footsteps grew louder and the sound of uncloaking was heard. "Come here, chéri, I'm not going to hurt you. Oh no, that's not what I had in mind at all. I have something special instead. Hehehe…"

Nicole restrained herself from shaking too much. She felt trapped like a lab rat at a dead end of a maze and had nowhere else to go.

"Why don't you come on out and let me take care of the rest, my dear? It would make things so much easier for the both of us. All I want is to spend time with you, chéri…"

Nicole remained hidden, even though she felt his closeness. She knew this was the only best thing she could do.

"You 'ave no idea how easy this is for moi," Léon chuckled, coming closer to the desk. "I'm in full control, and you have no power over me."

Nicole was dead silent, but she knew luck was not on her side.

"Oh, and before anything else happens, I just want to say…BONJOUR!" Léon shouted, leaning forward and spotting Nicole.

Nicole screamed in terror. "AHH! GET AWAY FROM ME! WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU?" she backed up against the desk, trying to get away from the crazed RED Spy.

"Oh, it's nothing, _sweetheart_, I just want to see you!" Léon cackled maniacally, grabbing Nicole by the leg and pulling her towards him.

"No! L-Let go! Stop it!" Nicole pleaded, trying to pull back, "Have you gone mad all of a sudden?"

"Maybe a little…" Léon's crooked smile grew.

Nicole managed to pull herself free. "LEAVE ME ALONE, FREAK!"

"Oh no, I can't do that just yet, we still need to have our little affair, and since you've been denying it every time I show up, I think it's time we do it…_now_!" Léon explained, glaring at her.

"No…no! G-Get away from me! I don't want this! How many times do I have to tell you, Léon?" Nicole stood up, backing away from the Spy.

Léon snorted. "How many times do I have to tell you that I don't care what you think? It's all about satisfying _my_ needs, and I'm craving for some…hmm, how should I put this? Ah, love."

Nicole gasped. "You're terrible!" she ran off, heading to the stairs.

Léon growled. "Hmph! Ready or not…HERE I COME, CHÉRI!" he immediately bolted after her, keeping his focus on her.

Nicole pushed herself to race across the stairs as fast as she could. "WAAAH! NO! NO! LÉON, STOP THIS!" she cried, reaching to the door of her room.

"I'M COMING CLOSER!" Léon announced, closing in on Nicole.

Nicole grabbed the door and flung it open, leaping into her room and slamming the door behind her. She leaned against it with all her might, keeping the insane Spy out. "Phew…I hope this lasts while I call for help…" she grabbed the phone from her pocket.

But a loud bang from the door startled her, making her drop her phone. She screamed, pushing the door back. "Aw, crap! Now I can't reach my phone! What do I do? I'm stuck!"

"OPEN THIS DOOR AT ONCE!" Léon bellowed, trying to open the door and squeeze right through.

"NEVER, YOU SICK PERVERT!" Nicole snapped, trying to push back.

One of Léon's arms reached out from the opening and grabbed Nicole by the shoulder. "I GOT YOU, CHÉRI! HA HA HA!"

"HEY! L-LET GO OF ME!" Nicole demanded, trying to slap Léon's gloved hand as hard as she could. But she quickly realized that it was a terrible mistake as Léon pushed the door wide open and entered her room. "NO! NO! GET OUT OF HERE! I SWEAR I'LL CALL THE COPS ON YOU!"

"HA! You're out of luck, my dear, your phone is out of reach and I have you in my clutches. What are you going to do about it?" Léon sneered, tightening his grip on her.

"I'll…I'll…scream…?" Nicole guessed, becoming more desperate by the minute.

"But no one will hear you, ma petite chou-fleur. And now that I finally have you, I think it's time to attend to business, oui?" Léon chuckled evilly.

Nicole struggled, trying to pull free from Léon's grip. "I say no! Now, let go of me!" she begged, tears running down her cheeks.

Léon rolled his eyes. "Oh, please, not this again." He threw her on the bed with little effort.

Nicole tried to scramble back up on her feet, but Léon was too fast as he pounced at her, pinning her down by gripping her shoulders. He sat on top of her in a kneeling position, like a predator fastened upon its prey. His pale blue eyes seemed wild and animal-like. His laughs were like that of a mad man's. Nicole watched in terror to see the RED Spy lose his sanity.

"Be patient, dear, this will only take a second." Léon said, undoing his tie.

"Get off of me! What the heck's wrong with you? Why are you doing this to me?" Nicole shouted, trying to squirm out from under the Spy.

Léon tossed his tie aside and started to unbutton his coat. "I told you many times, petite chou-fleur, not only did I promise you that we were going to do this eventually, but you're the first woman I've seen in a _very_ long time. And being surrounded by other men almost twenty-four hours a day isn't very splendid at all. It gets…dull after a while. So why not have a little fun by 'aving romance of the opposite sex?" he smiled, throwing his coat away and unfastening his white shirt.

Nicole glared, trying to be intimidating. "Just you wait! You'll get caught! You will pay for all of this!"

Léon glared at her, taking off his shirt. "By how? You are not in control of the situation right now."

Nicole blushed to see his bare chest. She closed her eyes, not wanting to see any more. But her eyes flew open as she felt lips against hers.

As Léon began kissing her, he unzipped her black jacket. He pulled it right off and tossed it. His eyes were locked on to her amber ones, focusing on nothing else but her.

Nicole tried to shake her head to free herself, but it was no use. She made a high-pitched squeak as she felt his tongue slip into her mouth.

Léon continued to strip her down, pulling back only for a brief moment to pull her shirt off. He laid on top of her, continuing to kiss her.

Nicole was horrified to only have her bra and jeans still on. She knew that it would be the end of her virginity if he were to go any further.

Leon began to undo his pants, still locking lips with her. But when he unbuttoned and pulled the zipper down, he immediately went for her jeans, quickly doing the same to her.

Nicole closed her eyes once again, not wanting to witness the horror that was before her. He heart was hammering in her chest, she knew that this was going to be a terrible, gruesome end.

"VHAT IS GOING ON HERE?"

Both Léon and Nicole looked up to see the Medic standing by the door. Klaus stared horrifically at the two, shocked to see their activity.

"KLAUS! HELP!" Nicole cried out, before Léon quickly covered her mouth with a hand.

Immediately after, Pyro rushed in with his flamethrower, growling viciously at Léon.

The Spy jumped in alarm to see the angry pyromaniac. "Now, now, Pyro, it's not what jou think…He began backing up against a wall.

But the Pyro pushed the tip of the flamethrower against Léon's chest, muffling furiously.

"Take it easy, Pyro, you need to calm down." Léon insisted, with a smug look on his face.

Meanwhile, Nicole instantly put back on her shirt and buttoned back her jeans. Klaus ran to attend her, sitting next to her. "Are you avlight?" he asked with a concerned tone.

"Klaus…" Nicole sobbed, hugging the Medic, "I'm so glad you came…"

"Shh," the Medic hugged back. "It's alvight, I'm here." He glared at Léon. "Herr Spy, vhat is the meaning of all this? Vhat vere you trying to do to her?" he growled.

"It's none of your concern, doctor," Léon answered, "So don't bother asking."

Pyro pressed the flamethrower against his chest, growling like a rabid dog at the Spy.

"Alright, alright, alright!" Léon grunted, "I was…trying…to…"

"Bah! You're nothing but liez!" Klaus snapped. He looked over at Nicole. "Now tell me, fraulein, vhat vas he doing to you?" he asked.

Nicole sighed. "He tried to rape me…" she answered, trembling in the Medic's arms.

Klaus looked back at the Spy with astonishment. "VHAT? VHY VOULD YOU DO ZUCH A ZHING?"

"That wasn't the only crime he committed towards me…" Nicole added, glaring at Léon.

"Hm? Vhat do you mean?" Klaus inquired.

"Remember that time I fell down the stairs and you came to aid me a few days ago?" Nicole asked.

Klaus nodded. "Ja, I do."

"Well, I didn't trip over the stairs at all." Nicole pointed over at Léon. "He beat me to a bloody pulp and told me to lie! In fact, he's been forcing me to lie every time I'm with him. Oh! He's the one to pretend to be my taxi cab driver and kidnapped me and took me to the Fortress in the first place, took me a second time and made out with me before trying to kill me a first time! We've met before! I've only pretended to meet him for the first time when you first came into my house. He's been deceiving all of you this whole time, Klaus and Pyro! His real plan was to have sex with me whenever he wanted!" she explained.

"ZHAT IS UNACCEPTABLE!" Klaus snarled at the Spy. "Ve need to talk, Herr Spy, and I'll make zure zhat ze _vhole_ team knows about zis…"

Léon glared hatefully at Klaus, not saying a single word. He pushed the Pyro's flamethrower away from him and went over to grab the clothing he tossed.

"Once he is decent enough, I vant you to guide him back to our base. I'll stay vith ze fraulein for a little bit."

Pyro nodded and watched Léon carefully with his prized weapon ready.

Once Léon was fully dressed, he looked at Pyro and frowned. "Alright, take me away, m'sieur Pyro…" he sighed, walking out of Nicole's room.

Pyro followed closely behind, keeping his weapon pointed right at Léon's back.

Nicole and Klaus were left alone. The Medic continued to comfort her, putting his arms around her. "It's over now."

"Thanks for saving me again, Klaus…" Nicole smiled weakly. "How come you came?"

"Vell, Pyro insisted that ve visit you. But vhen ve arrived, ve heard something going on up here, zo I decided to investigate."

"Good thing you did."

"Vhy didn't you tell uz about zis? Ve vould have believed you." Klaus asked.

Nicole frowned. "I was scared that he would hurt me. He kept threatening me that he would kill me if I were to tell anyone about him and what his plans were."

"Zhere's nothing to be scared of anymore, you're safe now." Klaus pulled back and stood up.

"Thanks again, Klaus…" Nicole's smile reappeared.

"It's no problem, fraulein, I'm alvays be there for you." He began to leave the room. "I have to get going, I have to make sure zhat our Pyro isn't making a camp fire out of our Spy. After all, ve can't kill our top Spy." He grinned.

Nicole laughed a little. "Yeah…I'll see you around."

The Medic nodded, closing the door behind him.

Nicole fell back on the bed, trying to relax. "Ahh, what would I do without a Medic?" She smiled to herself. "I'm glad it's all over…Now I have nothing to worry about." Then she suddenly frowned. "Aww! Now I feel guilty for some reason! Why does this keep happening to me? Now I'm going to have to do something about it…"


	32. Awkward Forgiveness

_Author's Note: Hello! I am back! I hope you had a great Christmas and New Year! :D And I'm sorry I have been gone for a while...But here's the Anonymous Review Reply!_

_**of bows and arrows**- Yes, the truth is finally out! Now they know what Leon's been up to this whole time. Yes, Nicole almost got raped, but she's saved thanks to the Medic and Pyro. ^_^ Thanks for the Review! **Leon**: ... *mumbles to himself* **Damien**: Oh uh, how very kind of you...but I already have mind. *shows his cloaking device* **Klaus**: *high-fives back*Danke! :)_

_**Fire-Dragon10**- LOL! He sure did. Don't worry, Nikki will be sort of fine...Thanks. I did have a safe and great (ROFL! I rhymed!) holiday. Did you? Thanks for the review! **Damien**: *chuckles* I see that. _

_**Animed2Fox**- I'm glad you liked the last chapter. Justice prevailed! :D Thanks for the review! Leon: -_- *sighs*_

_**Avada**- Wow, I'm happy you liked the ending of the last chapter. Thanks for the review! Sorry I was gone a bit longer than I expected. **Leon**: 0_0 *is speechless* _

_**sakichan**- Yes, he has. That would have been pretty cool to have music with the rescue! :3 Yup, it would have sucked for Nicole if they didn't even show up. Yeah, Nicole would either be freaking out if she was pregnant...or Leon told her that he was wearing a condom. XP (most likely he would have told her that he was wearing a condom) Thanks for the review!_

_**YAY**- I'm happy you found the sequel. I saw the other review on the first story, and I say thank you for that. And I'm happy you enjoy this story as much as I did writing it. :D Would Heavy be happier if I offered sandvich? *offers* Don't worry, problems will be solved. ^_^ Thanks for the review!_

_And now, here's the next chapter!_

* * *

Nicole entered the factory with a platter covered in foil. "Hey, uh, has anyone seen Léon?" she asked.

Bill was the first to respond as he approached Nicole. "He's up in his room, mopin' around. Why would you want to see him, anyhow? I thought you hated him after what he's done to ya."

Nicole sighed. "Oh, you heard about it, didn't you?"

The Engineer nodded. "Yep, sure did…and…I'm sorry for what happened."

Nicole shrugged. "Eh, it's all over now, we don't have to worry about it anymore."

"If only there was something I could have done…." Bill frowned. "But we did beat him like a rented mule…somewhat. We actually yelled at him and pushed him around and stuff, that's all." He explained.

"Ah. Well, it's not that big of a deal anymore, it's all behind us now." Nicole said, heading towards the stairs. "See you around, Bill!"

Bill waved. "Yeah, see ya…"

Once she got to the next floor up, she came up to the second door to the right, remembering when Léon had forcibly carried her in there before. She knocked at it several times.

"Go away…" moaned Léon from the other side of the door.

"Hey, um, it's me…may I come in?"

There was a long and awkward pause. "Oui," the Spy finally answered, "come in…"

Nicole hesitantly opened the door. "Hey, Léon, you feeling alright?" she asked.

Léon sat on his bed, looking down at the floor, resting his arms on his legs. He sighed. "What do you think?" he asked with an annoyed tone, not looking up to see her.

"Well, I-I just wanted to make sure that you're fine…and all." Nicole placed the platter on the dresser nearby.

Léon finally glanced up at her, giving her a peculiar look. "For what? Don't jou think it's obvious that this is awkward for the both of us?" he smirked.

"Well, yeah, it is…but…I just wanted to…see you." Nicole smiled nervously.

"Hmm, even after what I've done to jou?" Léon asked.

Nicole sighed as she nodded slowly. "Yeah…"

Léon smirked. "Jou're such a strange petite fille, you're starting to confuse even me. Congratulations."

"Everyone tells me I'm weird, but that's what I am." Nicole grinned back.

"Now tell me, why did you come back?" Léon asked, giving her a baffled look.

"Well, it's actually a bit complicated…" Nicole hesitated.

"Come, you can sit over by me if you like." Léon offered.

Nicole turned pale as she took a step back. "Uh, it's okay…I-I'm fine…"

Léon smiled. "Don't be afraid of me anymore. What do you think I'm going to do to you?"

Nicole shrugged. "I dunno, it's just that…I'm still a bit uncomfortable…"

"Don't be, everything is perfectly fine, trust me, chéri."

Nicole took in a deep breath. "A-Alright…I t-t-trust you…but you better behave…" she gave him a dark glare.

"Jou 'ave my word, my dear." Léon smiled, tracing an 'x' over his chest.

Reluctantly, Nicole came over to the RED Spy and sat down next to him, keeping an eye on him. "As I was saying…uhh…"

Léon placed an arm around her shoulders. "Go on, chéri, tell me."

Nicole took in a deep breath. "I…felt guilty for what happened yesterday…and…I just wanted to make up for it."

Léon blinked in surprise. "What for? You didn't do anything at all."

"I know…but there's something in me that keeps screaming that I'm guilty for something…you know what I mean?"

Léon shrugged his shoulders. "I suppose…"

"I always feel guilty when something happens that involves me. It's like a part of it was my fault somehow, even though I didn't do anything at all. It's so strange, even I don't get it…"

Léon sighed. "Chéri, listen to me."

Nicole smiled. "I'm listening."

"I just want to say that I'm sorry for the countless things that I've done to you. I lost self-control and it was wrong of me. It has been a long time since I saw a loved one."

"Who was she…like?" Nicole asked.

"She was absolutely beautiful…If I was taken back in my past, I could tell you many things about her, but it's unfortunately vague now. Though I can't remember her real name, I would always call her 'ma petite chou-fleur.'"

Nicole frowned. "Just like you called me…"

Léon nodded. "Oui." he reached into his coat. "I always keep this picture of us as a memory." he took out a photo and showed it to Nicole.

Nicole studied the photo. Her eyes widened as she recognized the picture of the Spy and a middle-aged woman holding hands and walking towards a red scooter from the Youtube video. "Wait…why are you showing me this?" she asked.

"Well, you asked, didn't jou?" Léon smirked, putting the photo back into his coat. "That was the last we saw each other since that photo. I would always think about her and wonder if she thinks about me as well. But I doubt it now…"

"What so special about the phrase 'petite chou-fleur'? Why did you give her and me the name?" Nicole questioned.

"I have been calling all of my lovers that…all thirteen, including jou of course. It's easier for me to give all of my loved ones a single name instead of individually coming up with something every time I found a new love." The Spy explained, "And don't worry, I did not tell any of my women about it."

Nicole smiled uncomfortably. "Oh…I see…"

"But anyway," Léon cleared his throat as he continued, "what I am trying to say is that I apologize for all that I've done to you…and I should of acted like a true gentleman…" he gazed over at Nicole with his pale-blue eyes. "Do you forgive me?"

Nicole thought for a while. "Yes…but did the RED Team made you apologize?"

Léon nodded. "Oui, they did, and they gave me a good tongue lashing, if you know what I mean." he smiled sheepishly.

"Oh, I'm sorry…"

"It's all right, I'm used to it." Léon looked over at the platter on the dresser. "What did you bring me?"

"Oh, I made cookies for you as an extra treat. I know it seems very…sappy, but it was the first thing that came to mind."

"What kind are they?" Léon asked, standing up and coming up to the dresser.

"A mix of sugar and chocolate-chip cookies, I hope you like them." Nicole grinned.

Joyfully, Léon came back to Nicole, giving her a hug. "Merci!" he cheered before snatching the platter of cookies and removing the foil over it almost like a five-year old would do. "They look great."

"Thanks…I'm not much of a cook, so I'm sorry if they're too bland." Nicole apologized, standing up and joining Léon's side.

Léon took a sugar cookie and took a bite. "Mmmm, they're delicious!" he complemented, "I absolutely love sugar cookies!"

Nicole blushed a little and giggled. "Thanks…I did my best…" she gave Léon an easygoing and relaxed look. "So…should we start all over?"

Once Léon finished his cookie, he glanced over at the girl and nodded. "Oui, I think we should."

Nicole held out her hand. "Umm, hi, I'm Nicole Anderson."

Léon took her hand. "Bonjour, Mademoiselle Anderson, I am Léon, the _top_ Spy of the RED Team." he kissed her hand. "My, aren't jou a pretty thing." he chuckled happily.

Nicole faced turned bright red. "Oh, why thank you…" she giggled.

Léon then hugged her, gently wrapping his arms around her. "I'll do my best to control myself this time. Besides, I have to in order to keep my place in the team, you know?"

Nicole nodded. "I understand."

"It was wonderful having you here with moi." the Spy rubbed Nicole's head. "And thank you for being such a dear friend."  
Nicole laughed a little. "It's no problem, it's what I do." she pulled back and head for the door.

But Léon still hand a hold of her hand. "Wait, chéri…"

Nicole looked over at Léon. "What is it?"

"I might be trying my best to do good, but I cannot guarantee that I will be perfect." Léon added.

Nicole blinked, almost frowning. "What? What do you mean?"

Léon snickered. "I am a Spy, after all, it's what I enjoy being." he sneered before disappearing in his cloak.

Nicole frowned, shivering a little bit. "Aw, really? After spending about several minutes with you? C'mon, man!"

"_Don't worry, I won't be mean to jou anymore. I promise_."

Nicole jumped in alarm as she heard his voice from right behind her. "Whoa! Hey! Cut that out!"

"_Hehehe. Sorry, did I scare jou_?"

Nicole pouted as she crossed her arms. "A little bit…"

"_I can't help myself, chéri, it's one of the things I do best_…"

"Yeah, I'll see you around, Léon…" Nicole smiled weakly, heading for the door again.

"_See you really soon_…_ma petite chou-fleur_."

Nicole glanced back one last time, grinning and waving before leaving the room and closing the door behind her. "Well, I'm glad the worst is over…"


	33. Snow is Credit to Team

_Author's Note: Hello! It's time once again for the Anonymous Review Reply! :D_

_**Avada**- Yeah, I know...It was pretty awkward for the both of them, I guess. Thanks for the review. **Leon**: 0_0 *flees*_

_**Animed2Fox**- That would be pretty crazy if she showed up, but that doesn't happen, fortunately for Nicole and the RED Team. Thanks for the review!_

_**fred the fish**- Yes, it's always good to make new friends, right? Don't worry, the REDs are looking out for her and making sure that Leon doesn't do anything anymore. She's still very wary around him, though. LOL! That sounds like a great idea. XD Thanks for the review!_

_Enjoy this long chapter, everyone! :3_

* * *

Nicole woke up to an unusually bright morning. It was a start to a usual day though, with her cat napping by her side, and no sneaky Spies to ruin her morning. She took in a deep breath. "I don't know why…but today feels…great…" she got up from her bed and pushed the blinds of her windows aside. "Wow…"

A nice, velvety blanket of crystal white snow covered New York City. Snowflakes sprinkled to the ground like powder sugar. Although it was bright, the grayish clouds covered the skies and blocking the sun. Nicole noticed a few kids in thick coat and mittens tossing snowballs at each other. Several parked cars were enveloped in the snow. Most buildings had snow piled up on the roofs, almost looking like edible shaved ice.

Nicole sighed with content. "Man, I can't wait to get out there…I wonder how the RED Team is taking to this…" she headed for her closet and grabbed the clothes she needed. "I bet most of them are excited right now, huh Sally?" she glanced over at her cat.

The black cat stretched her legs and rolled on to her back, purring obnoxiously loud.

Nicole smiled. "That's right, and I'll bet you anything that one of them, probably Jake, is coming over to pick me up and take me to Central Park or something. You know what's really strange, Sally?"

Sally replied with a short meow.

"It's really weird that no one seems to notice the REDs, Jèrèmie, or even the TentaSpies at all. I mean, of course I know that the Spies can just cloak or disguise themselves, but why does nobody seem to notice the REDs? It's weird, huh? I mean, even I'm surprised Cassie hasn't seen them yet. It's quite the miracle, right?" Nicole smirked as she finished getting dressed. She wore a black plaid jacket with a gray shirt underneath, comfortable jeans, and black shoes. "There, much better. Now to fix my hair…" she headed out from her room.

But a loud banging at the door stopped her. "Huh? What was that?" Nicole exclaimed.

Footsteps were heard, rushing up the stairs. Nicole watched in astonishment as the Scout busted into her room. "HEY, NICOLE, WHAT'S TAKING YOU SO LONG? CAN'T YA SEE IT'S FREAKIN' SNOWIN' OUTSIDE?"

Nicole smirked. "I'm hurrying." she gave Jake a peculiar look. "Did you knock, or did you barge into my house?"

"Uh, both…whatever. But c'mon, Nicole, everyone's waitin' for ya!"

Nicole put her hair up in a ponytail and placed a leather black cap on her head. "Alright, alright…just give me a second…"

Jake rolled his eyes impatiently. "Aww, you're done already! Let's go, we're waistin' time here!" he grabbed Nicole's hand and raced out of her room, down the stairs, and out of the house in practically no time at all.

Once again, Nicole was barely able to close the door behind her. "Whoa! Take it easy, Jake, it snows all the time here…"

"HEY! C'MON, I HAVEN'T SEEN SNOW IN FOREVER! NOW QUIT LAGGIN' BEHIND AND GO!" Jake demanded, excited to feel the snowflakes sprinkling on him.

Nicole noticed what he was wearing. "Uh, Jake? Are you cold?"

The Scout wore his usual attire, with his black cab, the brown baseball bag strapped to his back, sleeveless red shirt, dark-colored shorts, long socks, and black cleats. Even his hands only had the white bandages around them. "What? Nah, I'm good, I'm good. I'm not even winded!"

"Oh, alright then…"

Thanks to the Scout's incredible speed, the two made it to the nearest area of Central Park, where the RED Team was gathered at. While Jake rejoined the group, Nicole stood there in the middle of the snow-covered field, catching her breath. "Wait up, Jake…I just need to regain…air…for…a moment…"

"Is our Scout too fast for you, chéri?"

Nicole glanced over to see Léon nearby leaning against a tree. "Oh! What are you doing out here? I'm actually surprised to see you here."

Léon shrugged as the white cigarette dangled from his mouth. "I came to enjoy the weather, of course. It is a fine day, no?" he grinned.

"I guess…I don't know…I mean, I've been around snow practically my whole life, you know?"

"I understand…as for moi, it's been a while since I've seen snow." Léon explained.

Nicole nodded in understanding. "Yeah, I understand too." she smiled.

"HEY! C'MON NICOLE!" Jake called.

Nicole nodded at the Spy. "I'll see you around."

Léon nodded back at her, saying not a word.

Nicole ran over to the rest of the group. "I'm coming, hang on!" she stopped by the Scout. "What is it?"

"We're setting up a game of snowball, wanna play?" Jake asked, holding a well-rounded snowball in his hand.

Nicole shook her head. "No thanks, I'm good. I'm too old for those games, anyway." she walked away, but came to a dead stop to feel a snowball slam against her back.

"What's the matter, chicken? Are ya afraid to lose or somethin'?" Jake laughed.

Nicole glared. "What? NO!"

Jake smirked. "C'mon, Nicole, either way, I ain't gonna tease ya. I'm only gonna show off when my team wins."

Nicole frowned. "FINE! I'LL PLAY! But just for one game…" she returned to Jake's side. "How are we playing it?"

"Well, we already have our team captains." Jake informed, "Oh! And Bill's gonna be the referee."

Standing across from each other was the Soldier and the Medic. Standing in the middle was the Engineer, and everyone else was standing together by the side.

"Vho vill pick first, Herr Soldier? You or me?" Klaus asked.

Kyle shrugged. "Eh, I don't care Klaus…"

Nicole blinked in surprise. "Wait a minute…you guys are playing too?"

"We're all playing, lassie!" Angus laughed, "Why are ye actin' so surprised? We _grown_ men can 'ave a bit 'o fun, too!"

Nicole sheepishly smiled at the Demoman. "Yep…I see…" she glanced over at Léon still by the nearby tree. "I guess Léon's not playing snowball…" a small smile appeared on her face. "What a shame…"

Léon frowned. "Hmph! I'm not willing to join such _childish_ games!" he stated.

"Alvight, I'll pick first." Klaus volunteered himself.

"Wait!" the Scout interrupted, "We gotta name the two teams first!"

The Medic sighed. "Alvight, alvight, we'll be team…"

"HOLD IT!" Nicole shouted, holding her hands up, "If you guys are going to name teams, there will be no colors."

"Huh?" Jake gave Nicole a confused look.

"I SAID NO COLORS! YOU GUYS ALREADY FIGHT THE BLUS, SO I DON'T WANT ANYTHING THAT'S GOING TO REMIND YOU OF THEM, ALRIGHT?"

Everyone slowly nodded their head in agreement.

"Your team will be…the Pirates." Nicole pointed over towards Kyle. "And your team will be the Ninjas." she pointed at Klaus.

"But…why?" Jake questioned, trying not to laugh.

"It was the first thing that I came up with that wasn't BLU related."

"Those scum-sucking BLUs…" Kyle muttered angrily to himself.

"Kyle! This is just a _friendly_ game of snowball fight, so calm down!" Nicole moaned.

"CAN VE PICK OUR TEAMS ALVEADY?" Klaus shouted. He glanced over at the six REDs. "Herr Sniper, come over here." he ordered, "You'll be ze first pick of ze Ninja Team…"

Benny shrugged and walked over to the Medic. "Eh, whatever mate…"

Kyle pointed at the Pyro. "You come over here with us. Our Pirate Team will beat those sorry Ninjas." he laughed.

Pyro cheered as he raced over towards Kyle side. He carried a pile of pre-made snowballs in his arms.

"Boleslav, you're vith us!" Klaus called.

"YES! DOCTOR AND I WILL MAKE GREAT TEAM!" the Heavy cheered as he rushed to his pal's side. "SNOW WILL BE CREDIT TO TEAM! HA HA!"

"Angus, you'll with me, cadet!" Kyle shouted.

The Demoman staggered over to the Soldier. "Just you wait…we'll bury what's left of them in a soup can." he chuckled.

Nicole gave Angus a peculiar look. "What?"

"Nah, lass, I'm only kidding…" Angus smiled.

"Jake!" Klaus called again.

The Scout ran up to the Medic. "Yo, s'up, Doc? I'm ready to kick some butt, here! Don't worry, I'll be the best there is! WOO HOO!" he cheered.

Klaus sighed. "Vonderful, an enthusiastic contestant…" he muttered quietly to himself with sarcasm.

The only one left standing without a team was Nicole. She looked over at Kyle and smirked. "Well, Kyle, I guess I'm stuck with you."

"Just get over here, maggot! We got a battle to win!" The Soldier grinned back.

Nicole skipped over to Kyle. "Alright…I'll do my best…but I don't know if I can guarantee that will be good anyway…"

Kyle frowned. "That is NO way that any cadet would act like that! Tough it up, solider!"

Nicole straightened and saluted to the Soldier. "Yes sir!"

"Good! Now that's what I want to hear!"

"Alright-y now, we better start this game!" Bill announced, "Get in your positions."

The two snowball teams backed away from each other, keeping at least ten feet away from the opposite team. They faced each other, focusing on one another. Nicole, on the other hand, cowered behind Kyle.

"Ready? Set? Get goin'!" Bill made the call as he took several steps back.

It didn't take long for everyone but Nicole to rapidly make snowballs and throw them at the opponent. Jake managed to hit the Demoman on his first throw. "Yeah, come get some, Angus!"

Angus collapsed to the ground onto his back, landing in the plush snow. "Thankfully, I already don't remember this…"

Nicole looked over at the 'fallen' Demoman before desperately looking back over at Kyle. "What's wrong with Angus?"

"Don't worry about him, maggot! Angus is always drunk! Now get with the program and help us!" Kyle growled, tossing snowballs as hard as he could.

Nicole quickly crouched down and made a lumpy snowball. "Alright…here it goes…" she threw the ball towards Benny.

Benny watched the snowball fly over the field and fall right at his feet. "Sorry, Shelia, not even close. You're gonna have to work on your aim, mate!" he smirked, hurling a snowball towards her.

The ball of frost hit her in the chest hard as Nicole stumbled back. "HEY! NO FAIR!" she pouted, making another snowball and throwing it at the Sniper again.

Pyro, on the other hand, was pitching snowballs like a machine would. He laughed as he watched his opponents get hit with a bombardment of snow.

Meanwhile, Nicole struggled to throw her snowballs across the field. One a few of them had passed the two foot mark, but none of them even hit one person. She sighed in frustration, throwing a snowball straight to the snow-covered dirt. "This is awful! I can't even it one target!"

"C'mon, Nicole, ya gotta work at it!" Jake said, throwing snowballs left and right from the other side, "Practice makes perfect, Nicole!"

"You see my skill, Jake? It sucks!" Nicole complained.

Jake rolled his eyes. "IN COMING!" he shouted as he hurled a snowball towards Nicole.

It smacked her right in her face as the snowball splattered all over her. Nicole remained motionless, shocked to have snow all over her.

Jake was laughing so hard, he almost fell on his knees. "You…ya got owned! You got freakin' dominated! OH YEAH! That is classic right there! RIGHT THERE! DID YOU SEE THAT? Oh man, that was beautiful…"

Boleslav began to laugh as well. "LITTLE GIRL HAS SNOW ALL OVER HER! IT IS FUNNY TO ME! WAAH HA HA HA HA HA!"

Even Kyle suddenly started to snicker. "Now that is what I want to see."

Nicole glared, focusing on the Scout. "So…that's how you want to play it, huh?" she walked over to the middle of the field, and chucked a snowball right at Jake's face.

Just as before, the snowball exploded on Jake's face, nearly knocking him over. "What the-? What the heck was that crap?" he demanded.

Nicole laughed. "It's a game of snowball! It's also a free for all, you can say."

Jake scoffed. "That's it! I'll beat you down with my freakin' awesome skills of snowball fightin'!" he threw another snowball at Nicole.

Nicole jumped to the side, barely avoiding it. "Oh yeah? That right there was some 'freakin' awesome skills of snowball fightin'." she grinned mockingly.

Jake's green eyes narrowed. "Oh it's on, Nicole…it's on…"

The warm up was over, and the real snowball war began as Nicole and Jake hurled snowballs at each other in the middle of the field. While the others were tossing snowballs back and forth like it was nobody's business. Rather than throwing snowballs, Medic aided his team by making snowballs for his other teammates. The Heavy, on the other hand, tossed a majority of the snowballs like a turret, most of which hit the Pyro.

"LITTLE PYRO CANNOT DEFEAT ME!" Boleslav cheered.

Pyro growled as he threw what seemed to be an endless supply of snowballs at the overconfident Heavy.

Meanwhile, Angus continued to lie on the ground motionless. "Huh…the snow is much colder than I remembered. Eh…it's not so bad I guess…" he said to himself.

Ignoring what was going on around them, both Jake and Nicole were engaged in a battle of their own. During the somewhat friendly competition, Nicole shoveled a handful of snow and rubbed it all over Jake's face. "How's that for you?" she giggled.

Jake brushed the snow off like it was no big deal. "Pffft! Is that the best ya got?" he took an armful of snow and dumped it on the top of Nicole's head. "There. How's that? Is that better?"

Nicole shivered as she felt the snow fall right in her shirt. "Oh that is it!" she took a rather large snowball. "I'll enjoy this as I watch snow go up your nose!" she threw it right towards the Scout.

But Jake's quick mind and speed managed him to completely dodge Nicole's snowball. "Nice try, Nicole, you need to work on your aim."

Nicole watched in horror as the snowball flew across the field and towards Léon. "Uhh, J-Jake…"

"What?" Jake turned around to see what Nicole was worried about. "Oh crap…"

The frosty snowball implanted itself all over the Spy's head. Angrily, he whipped around, facing both Nicole and Jake. There was a cold, vicious, and dark look in his eyes.

Jake took a step back. "Hey, uh, Nicole?"

Nicole swallowed. "What?"

"Freakin' run as fast as you can…"

Nicole gasped as she saw Léon run after the two. "AH! RUN!" she sprinted off, leaving the poor Scout behind.

"Yo! Wait up!" Jake called, following Nicole closely behind.

The rest of the REDs stopped what they were doing to watch the two run away from the enraged and snow-covered Spy. Even the Demoman sat up to see what was going on. "And that's what ya get for messin' around with your head full of snow!" he laughed.

Nicole ran for her dear life, but instead of being horrified, a smile came across her face. "Hey…this is kind of fun." she laughed. "HA HA HA! YOU'LL NEVER CATCH US ALIVE, LÉON!"

"WOO HOO! YA CAN'T CATCH US, SPY! NOT IN A MILLION YEARS!" Jake called with a smug look on his face. "C'mon Nicole, let's see if we can lose 'im!"

Nicole nodded and stayed close with the Scout. "Alright, you lead, I follow."

"I'll teach you two a real lesson you won't forget!" Léon called angrily, closing in on the duo.

"Oh crap! Oh crap! Oh crap!" Jake panicked, "He's gaining on us! Run, Nicole, run!"

"What do you think I'm doing?" Nicole snapped, being annoyed of the situation that she was in.

"Just shut up and run!" Jake demanded, cutting in front of Nicole, "Here, you stick with me! Why'da have to piss him off?"

Nicole frowned. "It was an accident!"

"Uh-huh, sure…"

The both of them continued to bolt off with Léon still in pursuit. Jake suddenly grabbed Nicole by the hand and jumped behind a nearby tree, taking her with him. Nicole and Jake watched silently as Léon passed right on by. The raged Spy stopped dead in his tracks. "I'll deal with you two later. I 'ad enough of this…" he snarled, stomping off in a different direction.

Jake began to laugh. "What a loser…he wasn't even trying to catch us."

Nicole giggled. "Yeah, he was too slow for us!"

Jake smiled. "That's right! We make a great team!"

Nicole looked up at the Scout. "Yeah, we do, don't we?"

Jake's emerald green eyes shimmered in the light. "Of course we do! We're awesome like that, ya know?"

"I think you're right…"

Jake still had a hold of Nicole's hand, but he didn't seem to notice. "So…how about this weather? It's nice, huh?"

Nicole nodded, also not realizing the Scout's hand holding hers. "It's nice, but you should wait until Christmas. It's really beautiful with the spirit of the holidays, the decorations, and such…"

"That's cool…I can't wait. And you know…I think there's something else that's beautiful…"

Nicole blinked. "Really? What is it?" she asked.

Jake became hesitant. "Uhh, it's…you."

Nicole gasped, blushing a little at the cheeks. "R-Really? You really think so?"

Jake slowly nodded. "Y-Yeah, I like ya. You're funny, sweet, and a little too affectionate. But that's okay, that's what I like about ya." Jake took Nicole's other hand. "Do you think…that we could be…more than friends?"

"I dunno, it's up to you, I guess." Nicole smiled.

Jake and Nicole began leaning towards each other, closing their eyes and puckering their lips. They felt a strange, yet magical feeling towards each other, as if something big was about to unfold.

Suddenly, about the same time, they instantly pulled back. "Uh, you know what?" Jake asked with a sheepish smile. "I don't think this is really gonna work out between us. Sorry…"

Nicole shrugged. "It's alright, I understand…"

"If I had a relationship with ya, the rest of the team would make fun of me, especially Léon…and it would be embarrassin'. I mean having everyone tease me, n-not being with you." he blushed. "Umm, I-I mean, I still like you and all…"

Nicole grinned. "It's alright, it's cool. I was only seeing if it was going to work between us."

Jake nodded. "Oh, I see."

"But we can be more than just friends." Nicole added.

"What do you mean?" The Scout asked.

"We could be like…brother and sister. I mean, I don't have siblings at all." Nicole suggested.

"Yeah, I have seven older brothers, so it would be kind of fun to have someone like a little sister or somethin'." Jake's smile grew.

"Is that cool with you?" Nicole inquired.

"It's cool with me, Nicole. That'll make me very happy." Jake nodded, grinning and blushing a little. "But please don't tell the other guys…They might get the wrong impression on me."

"You have my word. I won't tell a soul, I promise." Nicole assured, tracing an 'x' over her chest.

* * *

The snowflakes continued to sprinkle Central Park that noon. The REDs were doing their own activities. Kyle, Angus, and Benny were conversing with each other. Pyro was sitting on the ground and making little snow ducks and enjoying himself. Boleslav was making large snow angels while Klaus watched him and laughed cheerfully. Bill was constructing a snow dispenser-like sculpture for the fun of it. Jake was tossing snowballs in random directions to kill as much boredom as possible. Léon was leaning on a nearby tree, watching everyone else with wary eyes.

But Nicole sat on a bench far off from the team, trying to get some time to herself for a while. Her face was still red from the encounter with Jake from earlier.

Suddenly, Nicole jumped in alarm as she felt something gently stroke her cheek. "Huh?"

"_It's alright, chéri, it's only me. May I see you for a moment_?"

"Is it who I think it is?" Nicole grinned.

"_It could be…you're going to 'ave to find out_."

"Alright fine, but you're going to have to guide me." Nicole stood up and waited for a moment until she felt something grab her by the hands. She felt a soft tug on her right arm before she walked off in the direction. "I feel as if I'm blind…"

A familiar, yet faint laugh was heard. "_Sorry, but I'm not taking my chances with the RED Team_."

"It's fine with me, just don't run into something."

"_I'm doing my best, my dear_."

Finally, Nicole was taken behind a tree. The REDs were out of sight. "Alright, I can't see them anymore. Coast is clear."

That's when Jèrèmie appeared in front of her. "Bonjour, Mademoiselle Nicole, enjoying the snow, are we?" he smiled.

Nicole put her hands behind her back. "Maybe a little…"

"I did see that little game of snowball fight with you and the other REDs. Quite exciting, if you ask me." the BLU Spy sneered.

Nicole scoffed. "Oh, Jèr, stop it!" she giggled, "You're such a tease."

"Just to make sure, is that foolish RED Spy still giving you and trouble?" Jèrèmie asked with a worried tone.

"Well, he did try to…rape me two days ago…" Nicole answered quietly.

Jèrèmie grimaced, glancing over at the distance. "What? How dare he do such a terrible act!" he began to storm off in a rage, "I'll teach him a thing or two about proper manners!"

But Nicole quickly grabbed his arm. "Wait, Jèrèmie! He already learned his lesson!"

Jèrèmie stopped and turned to Nicole. "What do you mean?" he gave her a confused, but peculiar look.

"Both Klaus and Pyro caught him red handed and rescued me. I told them the truth and took him away, forcing him to tell the rest of the REDs what he was really up to." Nicole explained, releasing the Spy's arm.

Jèrèmie smirked. "Excellent. It's about time that _wretched_ man gets what he deserves."

"But I also talked to him for a bit, and now we're okay with each other now. He's cool now, so you don't have to worry about him anymore."

Jèrèmie blinked in surprise. "Hm, very well…" he suddenly sighed, looking quite sorrowful.

"What's wrong?" Nicole asked.

Jèrèmie looked over at the girl. Despair was in his chocolate-colored eyes. "I'm…I'm so sorry I wasn't there to protect you…" he wrapped his arms around her, almost in a protective way. "It's my fault…I wasn't there for you…I'm the one to blame…" he voice began to croak weakly.

Nicole hugged back. "Jèr? What's wrong? It's not you're fault. You didn't know, and it was my fault for not doing anything to save myself. Plus, you can't show yourself to the REDs. It's alright, Jer, don't blame yourself."

"I kept a promise to you, chéri. I said I was always going to be there for you…and I failed." a single tear slid down Jèrèmie's face.

"Aww, don't cry, Jèrèmie, it's not very Spy-like." Nicole laughed, trying to lighten the mood. "Don't be mad at yourself. It's okay, I'm still living…and as a virgin. So everything is perfectly fine."

Jèrèmie sighed. "I suppose, but I'm going to make my real promise to jou. Whenever you need me, I'll be there. If you are in need, I'll be by your side. And I'll be there to comfort you. This I swear…"

"Jèr, listen, don't push yourself too hard, it'll be too difficult to manage things. Besides, I'm not going to be mad at you if you mess up one or two times. I'm still your friend, right? Look, I'll make you a deal. If you don't work overtime just to protect me, I'll let you stick to your commitment." Nicole offered.

Jèrèmie gave Nicole a peculiar look. "What do you mean by working 'overtime'?" he asked.

"Well…I don't want you freaking out every time you fail to save me. It makes me feel just as bad. Plus, you have to stay away from the REDs for your _own_ safety, alright? I'm just as worried about you."

Jèrèmie nodded. "Alright, I'll do it for you." his smile reappeared. "So, what were you and Jake doing together alone?"  
Nicole's smile quickly vanished. "What? You saw that?"

Jèrèmie laughed weakly. "I am a Spy, after all, what else do you expect."

"We were just talking with each other, making sure that we're good friends and all." Nicole clarified, "It's not like we were falling in love with each other or anything. We both knew it wouldn't work out between us."

Jèrèmie smirked. "You gave me a very good explanation, and I didn't 'ave to threat you even once."

Nicole frowned. "Hilarious, Jèrèmie…"

"Well, I 'ave to run some errands again, I'll see jou soon." he gave her a kiss on the cheek before disappearing in his cloak again.

Nicole's face flushed into a bright red. "Oh! S-See you…" she said.

There was no response.

Nicole watched footprints appear in the snow in an orderly fashion. "Hey! I can see you're going to the left."

A cheerful laugh was heard. "_I see that I'm not much of a Spy in the snow_…"

Nicole laughed as well. "As long as the REDs don't see you, you'll be okay."

"_Merci_._ Au revoir, ma chéri…_"

Nicole smiled as she stood under the naked tree alone. "Wow, things can't get any better than this…" she said to herself. Suddenly, she felt something coil just under her shoulders and around her waist. She gasped, desperately trying to struggle free. "What the-? What's going on?" she demanded as she was hoisted up.

"Don't worry, ma squatine, things are going to get better. I promise."  
Nicole's amber eyes widened to see Damien perched in the tree. One of his tentacles was wrapped around her, helping her settle on some branches next to him. "It's wonderful, isn't it?" he asked.

"What?" Nicole questioned in confusion.

"The snow. I've never felt it before. I may 'ave heard about it…but I never knew it was so…soothing." The TentaSpy smiled, showing off his pointed teeth.

Nicole smiled uncomfortably. "Yep, it s-sure is…So, where are the kids?"

"They're nearby, playing together where I can see them." Damien pointed over to his left.

Nicole glanced down to see the two baby TentaSpies squirming around in the snow happily. "Oh, I see them." she grinned as she saw them nibble at snowballs that they mounded.

"Tell me, chéri, do you have a little crush on that RED Scout?" Damien asked with a sneer.

Nicole's smile disappeared. "Uh…not really…I guess you saw that…"

Damien nodded. "Oui, but I didn't see much from 'ere. But I did see the two of you spend time together." he pulled Nicole closer to him.

Nicole's heart skipped a beat, but she tried to not make such a big deal about it. "Yeah, we sure did. We were just hanging out as friends…you know?"

"Of course. What were you and the little Scout talking about?"

Nicole shrugged her shoulders. "About…being good friends. That's all."

Damien looked at her with his golden, reptilian eyes. "Hmm, very well. But you know what?"

Nicole tried desperately to not look into the TentaSpy's eyes. "Huh?"

"That BLU Spy is quite a catch, isn't he?" Damien chuckled. "He's just right for jou, after all. Why, even you know that he's your man."

Nicole blushed again. "Well, you see, Damien, we're friends…_just_ friends."

"Oh, I think it seemed a little bit more than that." Damien smirked.

"No, not really."

"But I was directly above you two. I heard the whole conversation you two had, and I must say it was quite adorable."

Nicole frowned. "Of course you did…"

"Just think about it, my dear, he's a handsome rogue, willing to always be there for you at all times. Isn't that lovely? I think it is." Damien placed an arm around her shoulders. "I don't see why jou should act so shy about it. He's the perfect gentleman for you."

Nicole shivered at his touch. "What are you trying to say, Damien? You're starting to confuse me…and creep me out a little at the same time."

"I am? My apologizes…" Damien laughed, "What I am trying to say is that you should not be afraid to show your true feelings for people you care about. It's very healthy, and you'll live a long and happy life if you do." he explained.

Nicole nodded in understanding. "Oh, well, t-thank you for caring about my mental health…"

Damien smiled, stilling looking into Nicole's sparkling eyes. "Jou're welcome, ma petite squatine."

"Now, I've been meaning to ask you this, but why do you keep calling me that?" Nicole asked, "I know Léon was calling me his 'petite chou-fleur'. I know what that means, but I don't know what you're calling me."

Damien smile grew. "I'll tell you later…much, much later." he leaned closer to Nicole. His eyes narrowed, intensely focusing on her.

Nicole turned a little pale as she froze. "Uh…Damien? Are you…?"

"Hmm? What is it, ma cher?"

Nicole swallowed hard. "Umm, I-I got to get going now, it's getting a little cold now. Besides, I'm sure that the RED Team might be wondering where I am."

"Oh do you now? Well, I'll be certainly happy to help you with that." Damien said, as the tentacle around her picked her up and carefully placed her back down on the ground. "There you go, that's better."

Being a bit wobbly on her feet, Nicole began to walk off. "I'll see you around, I guess. You better get going too before it gets too cold, we don't want Dimitri and Seth catching a cold."

Damien nodded in agreement. "Oui, I should. Adieu, ma ami." he waved to her.

Nicole waved back. "Bye…" she continued to head back to rejoin the REDs. When a few minutes had passed, she looked back behind her, only to find Damien and his children gone and out of her sight.


	34. Visit from the TentaSpy Family

_Author's Note: Alright! Here's the Anonymous Review!_

_**fred the fish**- __I know, I thought it would be funny to have the team names like that. XD LOL! It was funny to see Leon's reaction to the snowball in face. Thanks for the review, you can say both 'yay' or 'squee' for the last chapter if you want._

_**Fire-Dragon10**- It's okay, I understand. I'm glad that you had a great Christmas! That's cool! I'm so happy for you! :3 Well, you can do whatever you think is the easiest for you, but it would be nice to have the traditional drawing, then digital. But again, it's all up to you. ^_^ I know, Leon was desperate and lost his control. But he's all better now. Yup, everyone loves a good snowball fight, especially when the RED Team are playing. Isn't it cute? But Nicole still doesn't want to admit that. Thanks for the review._

_**Animed2Fox**- First comes love, then comes marriage...LOL! Just kidding. X3 Hmm, well I don't know how that would work out...but it would be really nice. Thanks for the review._

_**Avada**- **Leon**: *gasps and flees* GO AWAY! I CHANGED! I PROMISE! **Me**: Thanks for the review!_

_**A reader **(who reviewed _Princess of the Fortress_)- Huh, I had no idea that 'Gintaras' was a Lithuanian name. I just picked out random names for my BLU Team back when I was writing POTF. And that's cool that it's your name as well. And if you see this reply, I just want to say thank you for reviewing POTF and that I hope you enjoy the Sequel. ^_^_

_I have an announcement to make. Since I have finished writing _Fortress Manhattan _(Now don't panic, I'm still going to be posting up chapters daily for a while since I wrote a ton of them during the summer. So technically, I'm not finished posting the story up for those who didn't understand what I meant), I am in progress in writing Damien's background story. :D I will start posting it up as soon as I finish this story. I hope you look forward to it._

_But anyway, here's the next chapter. Enjoy! :D_

* * *

There was a simple knock at the door. "Alright, alright, I'm coming, I'm coming!" Nicole sighed, coming up to the front door. "I wonder who it could be this time…" she said to herself. She opened the door and nearly jumped in alarm.

"Bonjour, chéri, do you mind if we stay for a little while?"

Nicole smiled at Damien and his children and nodded. "Sure, come in. I bet it's starting to get really cold outside."

The two small TentaSpies hurried in the house, followed by their father. Almost immediately after, they came right up to Nicole and hugged around her legs. "Hi, Aunt Nikki!" Seth cheered, showing off his tiny teeth.

Nicole couldn't help but giggle. "Hi, Seth, how are you?"

"I'm good, Auntie!"

Dimitri wrapped his small light-grey tentacles around Nicole's left leg. "I'm so happy to see you, Auntie Nikki!"

Nicole grinned and patted the little TentaSpy on the head. "Thank you, I'm happy to see you too, Dimitri."

"I love you, Aunt Nikki!" Dimitri purred.

"Me too! Me too!" Seth added.

It as if Nicole's heart strings were tugged. "Aww! I love you guys too." she looked over at Damien. "Oh, uh, make yourselves at home, I guess…"

Damien nodded in response. "Thank you, ma ami." he headed over to the nearest couch and sat down.

"Aunt Nikki…I'm cold…" Seth frowned, shivering a little bit.

"Me too…" Dimitri whimpered.

"Do you guys want warm water?" Nicole asked.

"Yes! Yes!" they both answered.

"Alright, do you want to get in a tub?"

The little TentaSpies shook their heads. "No, can we have a drink?" Seth inquired.

"Yes! I wanna drink!" Dimitri agreed.

Nicole nodded. "Alright, you two, go over by your dad and I'll come with those drinks." she glanced over at the adult TentaSpy. "Damien, do you want anything?"

"Hm? Oh, I would like just a cup, but can you bring it to me empty? I already have something."

Nicole shrugged. "Sure…" she watched Dimitri and Seth scurry over to Damien as she headed towards the kitchen. "So, what's up, Damien? It's been about a few hours or so since I saw you last."

"Well, jou see, chéri, my sons were getting a little too cold, so I decided to let them warm up 'ere, if that's alright." the TentaSpy explained.

"Oh yeah, that's fine. I understand. I told you before that you are welcome anytime." Nicole said as she got out three white mugs from a cabinet and came up to the sink.

Dimitri sat on Damien's lap while Seth sat on a different couch nearby. "Daddy? What's this?" he asked, watching the cat lay on the cushion next to him. "I've never seen it before." he poked at Sally with one of his dark-gray tentacles. "Wow! Daddy! Daddy! It's so soft! What is this?"

Damien looked over and laughed. "Seth, that is a cat, just a simple creature most people keep as a pet. They are very loving if you treat them the right way."

Seth smiled as he stroked the cat with his small, gloved hand. "Cat…" he repeated. "Kitty?"

Sally rolled on to her back, allowing Seth to pet her belly.

"Good kitty…" Seth giggled as he gently scratched the cat's stomach. "Nice kitty…"

It was hard for Nicole to not smile at Seth petting her cat as she filled two of the three mugs with warm water. She picked up the filled mugs and gave them each to Seth and Dimitri. "There you go."

"Thank you!" Dimitri happily took the mug and had a small sip from it. "Mmm, so warm…" he grinned.

Seth also took a small drink from his mug. "I feel better! Thank you, Auntie Nikki!"

Nicole smiled shyly. "You're welcome, anything for you two wonderful kids!" she immediately headed back for the kitchen for the empty mug and returned to hand it over to Damien. "Here you go…"

"Merci." Damien gently took the mug and pulled out a small bottle of dark-red liquid. "I'm trying to bring this with me where ever I go, I just started only a week ago." he explained, plucking off the cork and pouring the liquid into the mug.

"Oh, that's interesting…" Nicole commented.

Suddenly, Dimitri began waving his arms about. "Aunt Nikki! Aunt Nikki! Come sit with us!"

Nicole knew she couldn't say 'no'. "Sure, why not?" she sat down next to Damien and Dimitri.

Seth came right up to Nicole with his mug. "Up! Up!" he demanded cheerfully.

"Okay, Seth, but hold on to your cup." Nicole said as she picked up Seth and carefully placed him on her lap. "There you go, comfy?"

Seth nodded. "Mm-hm." he nuzzled his head on her shoulder.

Damien smiled. "Aw, now isn't that adorable?"

Nicole nodded. "It is. They are such good kids, Damien. How did you do it?"

Damien chuckled, shrugging his shoulders. "I didn't do anything, they became like that after a month or so after birth. They are unconditional love, and that's all they mostly want."

Nicole's smile grew. "Aww, have they ever been naughty?" she asked.

Damien thought for a moment. "Hmm, they were tough to handle when they were first born. But once they were old enough, I taught them about manners and how to behave. They caught on so fast, it was unbelievable…"

"I understand why…"

Damien gave Nicole a peculiar look. "Hm? And why is that?" he questioned, taking a sip of his drink.

"Well, did you say that being part human, part octopus makes you and your kids already smart?"

Damien grinned. "Oui, I did…I guess that does make much more sense, doesn't it?"

"Yeah, sure does…"

"Daddy! Daddy! Guess what?" Dimitri said.

"What is it?" Damien asked, wrapping his arms around his son.

"One time, Aunt Nikki played with us while Seth and I were in the tub! It was fun, Daddy!"

"Yeah, and we played tag together!" Seth added, jumping up and down on Nicole's lap, "Aunt Nikki was funny too, Daddy!"

"Oh, did you now? I bet you two had a great time, no?" he took a quick glance at Nicole.

Nicole was staring blankly at Damien with her eyes wide. Her face was slowly turning bright red, even her hands started to twitch. She remembered the awkward time she had when Damien was in her parents' bathtub.

"Chéri? What's the matter?" he asked, knowing exactly what she was thinking about. He took another sip from his mug, finishing his drink.

"Uhh…" Nicole swallowed hard. "It's n-nothing, Damien…"

"Aunt Nikki?" Seth looked up at Nicole with a worried look. "Are you okay?"

Nicole stared at his vivid, red eyes. They were bold, but had the look of innocence like any child would. "It's okay, Seth, I'm good. It's just…"

"Oh? Did Aunt Nikki have a nightmare?" Seth asked, "Daddy sometimes sings for me and Dimitri, it makes the bad nightmare monsters go away, he says, and it puts us to sleep."

"Oh, really? That's very sweet." Nicole smiled before turning back to Damien.

Damien golden eyes were narrowed, focusing on her, his smile grew once she looked upon him.

Nicole instantly froze in place. "Umm, D-Damien?"

"What is it, ma squatine?"

"I…can't move…"

Damien blinked. "Oh? Sorry…" he apologized as he looked away.

Just then, Nicole noticed something moving underneath Damien's coat. "What's that?" she pointed.

Damien gave her a confused glance before looking down at his coat. "What the-? Jacque? How did jou get in there?"

The black Spy Crab crawled out from under the TentaSpy's coat and onto his shoulder. _Click, click, click! Click?_

Damien patted the little crab. "Oh, Jacque, next time, let me know next time when you are coming along."

Jacque purred as Damien scratched his head.

"Chéri, have you met Jacque?" Damien asked, "He is my most trusted friend and is a very good babysitter." he laughed.

Jacque scurried across the TentaSpy's shoulder, taking a closer look at Nicole. His beady little eyes stared at her with curiosity.

Nicole gently petted the Spy Crab. "Hello there. Nice to meet you, Jacque."

Jacque purred loudly again, nuzzling against her hands. _Click! Click-y click click!_

"Hey, what's he doing?" Nicole asked, watching the crab click its pinchers.

"That's the way he talks, and he says that he's happy to meet you too." Damien explained.

"You actually understand him?" Nicole asked.

Damien nodded. "Oui," he answered with pride, "I learned the Spy Crab communication few years back. They are so good to me and are very loyal."

"There's more than one?"

"Several hundred, as a matter of fact." Damien added.

"Wow…that is a lot. Do you care for them?"

"But of course, they are a part of my family. And if any of them was threatened by an intruder, I would defend them will all of my might, just like I do for my sons."

Nicole nodded. "That's cool, that's cool…"

"Well, chéri, we 'ave to get going now, it's getting late." Damien said.

"Aww! But Daddy, I wanna stay with Aunt Nikki." Seth moaned, hugging Nicole.

"Me too!" Dimitri said.

"Sorry, but Nicole's parents will arrive in a while, and we can't be here when that happens." Damien explained.

Both young TentaSpies moaned in pure disappointment. "Aww…"

Nicole patted Seth on the head. "It's okay, you guys can come whenever you like…before dark…"

Seth nodded in understanding. "Okay, Aunt Nikki…"

"Now say goodbye to Nicole." Damien said.

Both Dimitri and Seth hugged Nicole and gave her kisses on the cheek. "Bye-bye, Auntie Nikki." Dimitri said.

"I'll see you guys later." Nicole hugged the two kids.

"Can I play with your kitty when I come back?" Seth asked.

Nicole nodded and grinned. "Of course you can."

"Alright you two, let's get going." Damien said.

Dimitri and Seth climbed on to their father's back as Damien stood up. Jacque crawled back into the safety of the TentaSpy's coat.

"Hey, uh, I'll see you around, Damien…" Nicole said.

Damien nodded. "Oui, I shall…" he smiled before disappearing in his cloak.

Nicole waited for a moment as she heard the door opening and closing. Once the coast was clear, she immediately took the mugs they had and took them in the kitchen sink. "Dimitri and Seth are great…I wish I had kids like that…" she suddenly frowned. "Wait a minute…What am I saying? Why would I even think about having kids now? I just barely escaped from Léon two days ago…and I'm saying that I want kids like Damien's. What the heck is wrong with me? Am I finally losing it?" she sighed as she rubbed her face. "I need to get some sleep…I had a long day…" When her hands flopped down to her sides, she noticed something odd.

One of the mugs had reddish stains from Damien's drink all over inside. "Huh…I wonder what he had…" she picked up the mug to examine it. "It can't be wine…" she rubbed the scarlet rim with two fingers. "It's unusually warm…and smells kind of…weird. Has Damien been…drinking blood just then?" she shook her head. "Nah, that can't be it, he wouldn't do it in front of his own two kids…would he?" she wiped the blood on her jeans. "What has Damien been up to?"

* * *

Under the harbor of the old factory on a cold night, Damien was relaxing in the water and leaning against the concrete island. A cigarette hung from his mouth. "Quite a night, isn't it, Jacque?"

Jacque was on his master's shoulder. _Click. Click-y click_.

"Good thing the water 'ere is warmer than I expected, or is it that I'm used to cold water?"

The Spy Crab only shrugged in response.

Damien smirked. "Hm, no matter, at least the water is good enough for Dimitri and Seth…" he sighed as he took the cigarette out from his mouth. "I've noticed that Nicole and that RED Spy are getting along all of a sudden…Why is that?"

_Click, click, click? Click._

"Hm? I suppose he finally got caught." Damien chuckled, "What a simpleton he was. All human Spies are like that, aren't they? But, there is that one other Spy…The BLU one…Jèrèmie, I think it is…"

_Click? Click-y click click?_

"What about him, jou ask? Well, Mademoiselle Nicole has deep interest in him, or so I've seen." Damien sneered. "I think it's hilarious. Think about it, a child in love with a Spy like Jèrèmie…" he laughed, "How peculiar indeed."

_Click-y! Click, click. Click-y._

"You're absolutely right, Jacque, she is too shy to admit it herself. I tried telling 'er to show her true feelings about this BLU Spy, but she seemed very reluctant."

_Click, click, click-y, click?_

Damien glanced over at the little crab. "Hm, may be they are _just_ friends…But what if it was more than friends? The two seemed to be getting a long a little too well. I wonder what she sees in him…Is he smooth with his words? Is he the gentle type? Is he…absolutely charming to her? No! That can't be right, all Spies look exactly alike, including me, except for my tentacles, but my upper half is identical with any other typical Spy! But what is it about that BLU Spy that Mademoiselle Nicole likes?"

_Click, click, click-y. Click click!_

Damien gave a dark look at Jacque. "Hey! I know that he didn't try to rape her twice in a row!" he snapped, baring his teeth.

Jacque squeaked in terror, cowering behind his pinchers.

Damien sighed, tossing his cigarette away. "But the past is far behind us, mon ami. I have children of my own, and I have no need to mate with someone again. So don't worry about it, Jacque, I am in complete control and Nicole has nothing to worry about anymore."

_Click, click. Click? Click, click-y click. Click, click, click-y click. _The little crab began jumping up and down.

Damien smiled, revealing his razor-sharp teeth. "Oui, that is a very good idea. Maybe I should visit her often, and maybe she'll discover that I, too, can be the gentleman, just like Jèrèmie seems to be." he picked up the little crab and placed him down on the concrete platform. "I 'ave to get going, do you mind if you watch Dimitri and Seth for me?"

Jacque nodded, giving the TentaSpy a salute.

Damien nodded. "Good, with them sleeping, it ought to be much easier for me to hunt. Hmm, I wonder which luscious victim I will find on the streets this time…" he chuckled darkly as he sunk into the water.


	35. The Truth

_Author's Note: Hello, everyone! It's once again time for the Anonymous Review Reply!_

_**Avada**- **Leon**: ...I already have been, by my own team...Trust me, it wasn't fun. *frowns* **Me**: Thanks for the review!_

_**Animed2Fox**- Thanks, I tried my best. LOL! The kids are really cute! ^_^ Why thank you, I'm happy you like it. Thanks for the review! ***footsteps are heard from behind Wise***_

_**A reader- **You're welcome. I'm so glad you like FM. That's okay, we all make mistakes, right? Really? That is so cool! Aww, thanks, it makes me very happy you would be inspired by me and dedicate something on my behaf. That makes me feel very accomplsihed. Again, thank you very much. :3 Well, where would the story be without Damien? X3 Yup, something is going to happen, but you'll have to find out as the story goes along. Well, here's the next chapter. I hope you enjoy it. Huh, that's very interesting. You're the first person to be in favor of Leon since his big change. XD Thanks for the review. :D_

_**of bows and arrows**- That's okay. Cool! What's Minecraft? Thanks! ^_^ I wanted to put the kids back in at some point. Thanks for the Critics warning, I'm sure they'll notice. X3 And thank for the review as well._

Alright now, here's the next chapter! Enjoy reading! 

* * *

Nicole continually stared at the unopened Team Fortress 2 game box and paced back and forth in her room during a bright and snowy morning. "Man, this is so hard, I don't even know if I should tell them or not. They might all go crazy or think that it's a joke…"

Sally was curled up in a ball on the bed, not paying attention to Nicole's anxiety.

"But I can't just leave this unopened for the rest of my life. Cassie is expecting me to play it with her, just like I expect her to stop playing those Silent Hill games." she frowned. "Her mind is going to keep getting sick, but she doesn't listen to me…Oh well, she'll learn the hard way. But what am I going to do with this? What if they discover this? I absolutely most not let them find this or any evidence of it!" she knelt down and placed the game case under the bed. "Yeah, they'll never think of finding it under my bed…But wait! What if Jèrèmie, Léon, or even Damien is here and is hearing me talking to myself? Aw crap!" she took the case back. "Maybe I should stop talking to myself, it's becoming a bad habit or something…"

"What's becoming a bad habit, chéri?"

Nicole stiffened. "Oh crap…" she muttered as she slowly stood up and turned around. She hid the case behind her.

It was none other than Léon, standing by the door. "May I come in?" he asked.

Nicole nodded. "Sure, why not? You already snuck into my house."

Léon laughed. "It was a rather easy task."

Nicole smiled weakly. "Of course it was…How much did you hear?"

"The only thing I 'eard was talking to yourself was a bad habit, that's all."

Nicole sighed of relief. "Oh, okay."

"Why do you talk to yourself, chéri?" The RED Spy asked.

"Well, to remind me of stuff, organize my thoughts, and other things…It's kind of embarrassing if people hear me when I don't want them too."

Léon nodded in understand. "Oh, I see…But you 'ave to be careful. You may never know who's listening." he rubbed Nicole's head.

Nicole smirked. "Oh you…"

Léon's smile suddenly disappeared. "What's that behind your back?"

Nicole's heart skipped a beat and her face turned white. "Uh, what are you talking about?"

Léon's eyebrow arched of disbelief. "Hmm, you're hiding something, aren't you?" he sneered.

Nicole smiled uncomfortably as she took several steps back. "No I'm not…"

"A very likely story, Nicole…" Léon said sarcastically, "Now let me see it."

Nicole shook her head. "I can't…"

"And why not? Are you afraid that I would hurt you if you don't?"

Nicole swallowed hard. "Oh no, it's not that at all. I _know_ you won't hurt me, but I'm afraid of something else…"

"Don't worry, chéri, nothing is going to happen. So just let me see whatever jou got."

"No, I'm sorry…"

Léon approached. "It's alright, I'm not going to hurt you at all."

"It's not that, it's just that it's just too inappropriate."

Léon stopped in his tracks and sighed. "Alright, jou win. I won't look at it."

Once again, Nicole sighed of content as she turned her back on him, still keeping the case out of his sight. "That was a close one…" she said quietly to herself.

Just then, the case was snatched right from her. "HEY!" Nicole gasped, turning to Léon in shock, "Don't look at it!"

Léon ignored her, blankly staring at the game case. "Chéri…Why is our Heavy, Engineer, Pyro, and Sniper doing on this box?" he asked.

Nicole laughed in desperation. "Well, funny you should ask, because that is what I've been working on for the past several months since I left the Fortress and I wanted it to keep it a surprise until Christmas…Eh-hehehe," she laughed weakly with a sheepish grin, "y-you understand, right?"

"'Team Fortress 2'? I don't think this was your doing…" he turned to the back. "And look, there is more of our team. What is this?" he looked at the spine of the case, then frowned at Nicole. "Why am I on here too? Alright, what is this? Say it, you're already caught red handed." he smirked.

Nicole sighed, hanging her head in shame. "Okay, okay…That right there is a video game, obviously known as 'Team Fortress 2'. It has all of you guys, and the BLU Team, and it has everything exactly right, the locations, weapons, and just about anything you can think of. I never heard of this before my friend gave this to me just days ago. I was just as shocked as you are. So please, can you not tell the rest of the REDs? I don't think they can handle the truth…"

"I'm sorry, chéri, they must know…"

Nicole pouted. "What? No! Are you crazy! I don't think they'll believe any of this…"

"Oh don't worry, chéri, with the evidence right here, they will believe it." he began to head for the door. "You're coming with me."

"WHAT?"

"Come with me or I'll let everyone that you talk to yourself _all_ the time." The Spy turned to her and sneered.

Nicole grimaced. "Alright, fine…you're lucky that I don't think about calling the cops on you anymore…" she moaned as she walked over to Léon's side.

"Merci." Léon patted Nicole on the head.

"I'm warning you, Léon, their reaction is going to be terrible…" Nicole said, following Léon as he opened the door.

* * *

"Vhat do you mean that ve are in a game video?" Klaus demanded, looking at the game case with their pictures all over it.

"HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN, DOCTOR?" Boleslav asked, "WE ARE IN GAME?"

"What the heck is this? Unbelievable? I am in a game! FREAKIN' SWEET! WOOO HOO!" Jake cheered, running around in circles.

"What kind of shonkey business is this? I'm a dinkin' Aussie, not some bloody cartoon in some game!" Benny growled, crossing his arms.

"Am…I seein' right?" Angus asked, trying to get a closer look at the case.

Pyro began muffling cheerfully as he pointed himself out on the case. He raised his axe high and jumped up and down excitedly.

"Good night, Irene…" Bill chuckled, "Now I've seen everything. Us, in a game like that?"

"No sir! That is a work of an enemy Spy! BOYS WE HAVE A TRAITOR!" Kyle shouted angrily.

Léon sighed. "M'sieur, there are no enemy Spies with us. Please, calm down."

"Well then, whoever made that is a disgrace, a mistake of nature, and a maggot!" the Soldier groaned.

"Guys, guys, I know it's hard to handle the truth. Even I freaked out when I first saw this." Nicole explained as best as she could to the RED Team in the old factory.

Klaus gave Nicole a confused look. "But you are from this time period, aren't you? So vhy didn't you know about this?"

Nicole shrugged. "It never came across me, until a few days ago, when my friend gave it to me."

"But why didn't ya show it to us in the first place?" Jake asked.

"I thought something bad might happen…" Nicole answered shyly.

"Like what? What did you think would happen?" Bill asked.

Nicole hesitated for a while. "Uhh, a time paradox?"

Bill was the first one to laugh. "Missy, what made you think that? You don't see anything catastrophic, do ya?"

Nicole shook her head. "Not really…"

"There, you see? Ya got nothin' to worry about." The Engineer smiled confidently.

Nicole shrugged her shoulders. "Well, I guess, but I don't know…Doesn't this confuse you guys at all?"

"Ja! Of course it does!" Klaus answered quickly, still looking at the cover. "How did zhey even do this?"

"Uhh, some company called Valve Corporations created the game in 2007, that's what I've learned so far."

"Is this the only thing they have of us?" Jake asked.

Nicole shook her head. "Not even close, there's all sorts of stuff about you guys, pictures, videos, and even…fan art!"

The Scout cheered again. "Oh yeah! Now that's what I'm talkin' about! I'm startin' to like this popularity."

"Don't get too full of yourself there, Jake…This is another reason why you have to be even more careful when on the streets around here. Too much attraction is bad, very bad, and if you guys are caught in the middle of it, then there will be no way of getting back to the Fortress very easily."

Jake scoffed as he rolled his green eyes. "Aw, c'mon, Nicole, you're too paranoid."

Nicole frowned. "This isn't funny, Jake! Why do you think that I can't show you guys to my friend? She's this huge video game nerd, and if she sees any of you, she will explode from fan-overload, and trust me, it's not good. So please, trust me on this one, you can't show yourselves off. Oh, and if people start asking about any of you, just say that your not really them, you're huge fans of TF2, and that you're cos-playing."

Everyone nodded in agreement, except for Léon. "Well, I don't even 'ave to show myself to the public." He grinned as he disappeared in his cloak.

Nicole frowned. "I know, Léon, I'm talking about the rest of the guys who don't have special cloaking devices and disguise kits."

"_Oui, I know_."

"Anyway," Nicole sighed in frustration, "Just try to stay out of sight and don't get too much attention. The last thing that I would want is you guys ending up in some TV show or news station and cause a whole lot of trouble."

"Hey, don't worry about us, Nikki," Bill placed a hand on her shoulder. "We'll be alright. Besides, we've already been out in the city and had not a single person even glance at us."

"That's true, I have been noticing that recently…may be it's because we haven't really run into anyone that is a TF2 fan. But try not to let your guard down, anyway, you may never know when someone is going to sneak up from behind and-"

"BOO!" Léon shouted as he reappeared from behind Nicole.

"AAHHH!" Nicole leapt and clung onto the Engineer.

The Spy laughed. "What? You were saying something about someone sneaking up from behind. I couldn't resist taking such a perfect opportunity."

Nicole glared. "Don't do that again! It's not funny!"

That's when Jake started to laugh as well. "Uh, it is for the rest of us. See? That's proof that you're so freakin' paranoid!"

"Hey, uh, I hate to interrupt such a good joke, but how exact is this…TF2 thing?" Benny asked.

"Well, the only way I can show you if you guys come over at my place. I'll show the videos and pictures and such on my computer."

"Ooh! Ooh! Can we look at the fan art? Please?" The Scout begged.

Nicole nodded. "Sure, why not?"

Jake smiled. "Yeah! This is gonna be awesome lookin' at myself on the computer! I mean, the fan art can't be that bad, can it?"


	36. Meet the TF2 Game

_Author's Note: It's time for the Anonymous Review Reply._

_**Animed2Fox**- Thanks. Well, you'll find out how they react in this chapter. Thanks for the review! ***strange voices are heard from behind Wise***_

_**Fred the Fish**- Oh yes, he is terribly wrong. And he's going to find out why. X3 I know, but they've never seen anything like that before since they are from the late 60's. That's why they were more excited than panicked. LOL! Don't mess with the Soldier...he will not be amused. XD LOL! Thanks for the review._

_**of bows and arrows**- ^_^ No, he might not. But he might like the videos, right? X3 Oh, that's cool. I actually see a person play MineCraft every now and then, so I get it. That sounds neat. :D Thanks for the review! I appreciate the support. Oh, it's okay, don't worry about it. I did **not** think that you like that in the first place. I understand what you're trying to say. Even I've seen things that I didn't want to see. 0_0 Do. Not. Want... (Especially TentaSpyxClass pairings...Holy $#%! Those are awful! X_X)_

_**Avada**- Thanks for the review. Yeah, they probably did see a thing or two. X3 **Leon**: I surrender...is that good enough for you? I propose a truce._

_Anyway, here's the next chapter! Enjoy! ;3_

* * *

Nicole sat by the computer with the entire RED Team surrounding her. "And that right there was 'Meet the Spy'. What do you think?"

"Hm, I'm not very fond of knowing that my personal life has been exposed…but it was great to see the BLU Team being quite foolish as always…" Léon responded with a slight grin.

"Eww! That's gross, man, why did ya go out with the BLU Scout's mom, anyhow?" Jake asked with a disgusted look on his face. "Now I 'ave this freakin' awkward feeling of the BLU Spy going out with _my_ mom…"

"Jake, calm down, Jake, I'm very positive that the BLU Spy is not going out with your mom, Jake. I mean, why would he, anyway?" Nicole asked, giving the Scout an assuring, but peculiar look.

Jake grimaced. "You never know, man…you never know…"

"Other zan personal lives being revealed, I zhink that everything ve have zeen so far has been very accurate." Klaus added, "Even Léon vas shown as a very naughty rouge in zhat clip."

The Spy frowned. "Hmph! Jou're very lucky that I'm trying to be nice, m'sieur…"

"I really like what they did with 'Meet the Scout'," Jake commented, "I mean, did you see that? They showed me takin' down a BLU Heavy, now that right there is freakin' awesome right there! WOO HOO!" Jake beamed.

"Little Scout is no match for Heavy!" Boleslav argued, "Me and Sasha make great team!"

"Uhh, who's Sasha?" Jake asked, "Oh wait! I remember now…never mind…"

"Does it really cost four-hundred thousand dollars to fire your gun for twelve seconds?" Nicole asked.

The Heavy nodded. "Da, it does, but Sasha's all worth it."

"And apparently, you also love sandwiches according to that 'Meet the Sandvich' video…" Nicole said with an uncomfortable smile.

"YES! SANDVICH IS CREDIT TO TEAM!"

"Now if only if I was that good just like in me video…" The Demoman smiled, "I could show those bloody BLUs a thing or two about how a _real_ Demoman does his job right!"

Kyle snickered to himself. "Huh, maybe _I_ can do what my video showed, that'll show those maggots! Now I need to find the right tool to chop off their heads one by one…"

"Well, in that 'Meet the Sniper' clip, they sure got my character hands down." Benny commented with a smile, "I mean, it was perfect!"

"Woo-wee, I wish I could build that many sentries in one round." Bill smirked, "Just imagine what damage I could do if I was like that…" he chuckled darkly.

Nicole shivered. "Phew, that would be intense…"

"Vhy don't I have a video like zhey do?" Klaus asked.

Pyro also began muffling, trying to agree with the Medic.

"Sorry, Klaus and Pyro, they just haven't come up with any videos of you two yet. I think it's lame too, but they do have fan-made videos." Nicole explained.

"Oh, and speaking of fan-made videos, the fan-art we were looking at earlier…" Jake suddenly began to blush, frowning and shifting his position uncomfortably.

Angus let out a hearty laugh. "Oh, we they a wee bit too much for ye? Apparently, they mostly like ya with hardly any clothes on."

"Hey! It's just that some were a bit too overwhelming, alright?" Jake snapped.

"It's alright, you're not the only one, the rest of us got our fair share. But at least your not like Spy over here," Angus pointed at Léon, "He was even nude in a few of them."

Léon growled. "Do you mind?" he thought for a moment. "Well, I did look quite handsome in a few of them. But why would anyone try to think of me without my mask?"

"Dunno, maybe they're curious…" Angus suggested.

"Or desperate to figure out what my true identity is." The Spy rolled his eyes. "Although, I do adore the fact that I am quite popular."

"…Without a shirt, maybe, with a shirt…not so much." Jake scoffed, smiling a bit.

"Okay, enough arguing already!" Nicole shouted, "At least the fan art is completely wrong about the pairings we've seen…I mean, who would really want a Spy with a Sniper, anyway?"

Both Benny and Léon looked at each other awkwardly before looking back at the computer screen.

"Well, good thing we're all straight!" Nicole grinned. "Anyway, I think that's all the things I needed to show you. I thought those videos were interesting myself, I mean, it was also my first time watching them too, except I've already seen 'Meet the Spy'."

"Alright-y then, it was nice spending time with ya." Bill said, heading out of Nicole's room. "See ya around! I got a big project to work on!"

"Oh, here you go, fraulein!" Klaus handed over the Team Fortress 2 game to Nicole. "I zhink you might need zhis for later, ja?"

"Oh, thanks, I forgot about it." Nicole giggled.

"Of course you did." The Medic smirked. "If you need anything, you know vhere to find us, fraulein." He followed the Engineer.

"Alright, thanks!" Nicole waved.

One by one, the RED Team began heading out of the room and down the stairs. Once everything grew quiet, Nicole placed the game cover on the desk next to the computer monitor. "Wow, what a day…that went better than I expected…"

"But jou still need my opinion first, chéri…"

Nicole instantly froze. "Uh, who is it this time?"

"It's me, the one who can be easily tracked in snow."

Nicole sighed of relief. "Oh, hey, Jèrèmie, come in."

The BLU Spy came up beside Nicole, giving the computer monitor a disgusted look.

"Let me guess, you did not like that 'Meet the Spy' video?" Nicole asked, trying not to laugh.

Jèrèmie smirked slightly. "You guessed right, chéri. I hated it very much…What kind of an ending was that? And why did that Soldier decided to shoot me…I mean…_that_ BLU Spy?" he demanded.

Nicole shrugged. "He thought he shot the RED Spy…But I hate the ending too…"

"You do?"

"Yeah, cause every time I see it, I think of some really stupid BLU Soldier shooting you in the head while Léon gets away."

Jèrèmie nodded in understanding. "Hm, sounds reasonable to me. And it seems that we're thinking in common."

Nicole giggled. "Oh, Jèrèmie…"

"What?"

Nicole blushed a little. "You're embarrassing me…but just a little."

"How come? Am I saying things that I shouldn't be saying again?"

Nicole shook her head. "Nope, it's not that…"

"Then what is it?" Jèrèmie asked.

"Uhhh, I dunno…" Nicole sheepishly grinned.

Jèrèmie sighed, grinning at her. "You know, you could have told me about this…Team Fortress 2 thing…"

Nicole shrugged. "Well…y-yeah, but I didn't want you confused or anything, Jèr, I was worried that you would demand answers from me or something…"

The BLU Spy laughed. "Me? Demanding answers from you? HA HA! That is ridiculous. Why would jou even think of something like that?"

"You know…you're a Spy, don't you technically demand answers for everything?"

"Well, I wasn't going to be cruel to you. I was going to ask a few simple, _harmless_ questions, that's all. Why would I even threaten you at all?"

Nicole shrugged her shoulders again, forcing a weak laugh. "Funny you should ask, Jèr. I was worried about telling you about TF2 because…because…" she looked away from Jèrèmie.

Jèrèmie's eyebrow arched as he crossed his arms. "I'm waiting…patiently."

"Alright fine! I was afraid of telling you because I'm slightly scared of you!" Nicole said quickly, glancing back at Jèrèmie before turning away again.

"You're…_slightly_ afraid of me?" Jèrèmie asked in surprise.

Nicole nodded slowly. "A little…but it's not what you think! I can't help it! For some reason I don't understand, I'm starting to get this weird phobia of you Spies. It's n-not you! Oh no! It is definitely not you at all. You are a great guy…it's just that I'm scared of…everything else. Maybe it's because the other Spies I know try to rape me. Besides, I was afraid of your reaction from discovering TF2."

Jèrèmie placed a gloved hand on her shoulder. "Chéri, it's alright. You know that I am never going to hurt you, correct?"

"Y-Yeah." Nicole answered reluctantly.

"See? It's okay to come talk to me if you don't want to talk to anyone else."

Nicole smile reappeared. "You sound like my dad."

"Do I?"

"A little bit, not much…"

Jèrèmie chuckled as he rubbed Nicole's head. "Alright then, I have to get going again. How about if I come visit you again tomorrow?"

"That would be just fine."

"Would it be alright if I take you out somewhere?"

Nicole smiled and nodded. "As long as you take me home on time, then yes, that would be great."

Jèrèmie nodded back. "Very well, I'll see what I can do." he smirked before vanishing in his cloak. "_Au revoir_…"

"Bye, Jèrèmie! Take care!" Nicole replied, watching the door 'on its own'. "I wonder if Cassie would be jealous if she saw me with a BLU Spy…Nah! She said it was gross for someone like me to be with a man almost two or three times older than I am. Eh, I guess it is a bit weird, but Jèrèmie's not doing anything bad to me. He's a good guy. He'll be the second dad I never had. Hm, that kind of sounds awkward too. Never mind! Jèrèmie's a good friend, that's all I'll say!" she looked over at the computer screen. "What the-?"

On the Google page in the bottom corner was a familiar sight. Nicole scrolled down and clicked on the image. "What the heck? Is that what I think it is?"

The image showed a BLU Spy. His upper half, perfectly normal just like any other average Spy. But his lower half wasn't normal at all. Replacing his legs were eight, dark-blue tentacles. The TentaSpy in the image was lurking in the depths of what appeared to be the sewers, watching carefully with eyes of a demonic creature.

Nicole gawked at the image with astonishment. "I-I can't believe it…The TentaSpy even exists in this time period too?" she quickly clicked out from the Google page. "What is the world coming to? What's next? Do Spy Crabs exist in this time as well?"


	37. Opinions

_Auhtor's Note: And now here's the Anonymous Review Reply._

_**Fred the Fish**- Yeah, I know. But they thought it was very cool. I didn't think to put any slash stuff when I wrote the chapter. But I will show the TF2 guys slash stuff soon. :3 Well, you're about to find out Damien's reaction in this chapter. Thanks for the review._

_**of bows and arrows**- He hasn't seen everything just yet. X3 The TentaSpy is there just because he's scary as he is. Damien takes no offense. Ah, that's cool. I will think about getting MineCraft. Aw, I'm sorry, I hope things will work out for you on your MineCraft. Thanks for the review._

_**Avada**- Thanks for the review. **Leon**: *frowns*_

_**Animed2Fox**- Yeah, I'm sorry. I didn't realize that when I wrote the chapter and I forgot to add it when I posted. I promise I will make up for my mistake. (There will be a deleted scene of the last chapter including slashes and the Announcer) Thanks for the review. ***quiet laughing is heard* **_You're not afraid? You'll soon be.

_Alright now! Here's the next chapter, everyone! :)_

* * *

"So anyway, Nicole, thanks for inviting me." Cassie said, sitting on the couch in the living room.

Nicole shrugged as she joined her friend. "Eh, it's nothing. I had nothing planned this afternoon, so I thought it was a good idea to have you over for a bit."

Cassie nodded. "Cool, cool…So what did you want to talk about?"

Nicole thought for a moment. "It's about TF2, sort of…"

Cassie beamed. "IT IS? AWESOME! TELL ME, TELL ME, TELL ME!"

"Alright, alright, geez, calm down…" Nicole took in a breath. "There's this thing on the internet that disturbed me a little…Okay, there was this Spy…and he had…"

"He had what? No clothes on?"

Nicole frowned, shaking her head. "No…He had tentacles instead of legs…"

Cassie's smile instantly disappeared. "Oh no…you found out, didn't you?"

Nicole nodded. "I guess you know about this one, don't you?"

"Sure do, what you saw is a TentaSpy. He's _much_ worse than the average Spy. He's…well, you know…"

"What? Tell me!" Nicole demanded, pretending not to know what Cassie was talking about.

"There are all sorts of TentaSpies known so far, according to fans. Some eat people, some live in the sewers, some are adorable tiny baby ones. But all, except for the baby ones, are equal opportunists."

Nicole gave Cassie a confused glance. "Huh?"

"I mean that any adult TentaSpy will have affairs any chance they get from what I've seen. And trust me, is it NOT pretty…They pick on mostly on Scouts and Snipers, and maybe a few Engineers based on some pictures that I saw this one time. But that's all I know." Cassie shivered as she finished her sentence. "It is a scary thing to think about, you know?"

"I thought you were scared of Triangle-Head, or whatever that thing was."

"Well, yeah, but TentaSpies are pretty scary too. I wouldn't want to meet one, that's for sure…"

Nicole nodded silently, not wanting add anything unnecessary. She stared blankly at the wall, remembering a pair of golden eyes that belonged to a certain TentaSpy she knew.

"Uh, you alright there, Nicole?"

Nicole looked up. "Hm? Oh yeah, I'm fine." she shook her head and gave Cassie an assuring smile. "I was just dozing off there for a second was all."

"You looked like you've seen a ghost or something…"

Nicole blinked. "I did?"

"Sure did, maybe we better stop talking about TentaSpies. I had this one nightmare with one trying to get me, and it was freaking scary! It still creeps me out just thinking about it…" Cassie frowned, giving Nicole a horrified expression.

Nicole patted Cassie on the back. "It's alright, Cassie, they don't exist. Just like Silent Hill, it's completely made up."

Cassie shrugged. "Well, I guess you are right…But what if-"

"NO 'BUTS', CASSIE! I'M TELLING YOU, IT'S ALL IN THE IMAGINATION! Look, if you want to get a happier and healthier mind, why don't you convince your parents to take you to Disney World or something? It's the place of a million dreams, not a million nightmares. Does that sound good to you?"

Cassie smiled. "That would be great! But I don't want Mickey Mouse to come near me! I bet he's really a Spy!" she suddenly frowned as she continued to panic, "WHAT IF I'M FORCED TO GO TO THE HAUNTED MANSION? PYRAMID HEAD MIGHT BE WAITING INSIDE!"

Nicole sighed, giving herself a face-palm. "Cassie, knock it off…There is no Silent Hill at Disney World, which is kind of like Call of Duty at a day-care. But forget what I'm saying…I have another question to ask."

"Is it TF2 related?" Cassie asked.

Nicole nodded. "Yep."

"Does it involve Spies?"

Nicole nodded again. "Sure does…sort of."

"What is it?"

"Have you heard of Spy Crabs?"

Cassie giggled. "It's originally a taunt that the Spy does, and it's really funny, you should look it up. But most fan art shows a crab like a Spy, you know? Spy Crabs are actually are endangered species, so most people don't shoot them on purpose."

"Oh, that's really interesting, thanks for answering my questions."

"No problem, Nicole." Cassie said as she reached into her pocket and took out her phone. "Hey, look, I have to get going. It was nice chatting with you."

"Where are you going?"

"I have to go with my mom to go shopping for Christmas presents for the whole family." Cassie stood up as she headed for the front door.

"Alright then, have fun." Nicole smiled and waved.

Cassie waved back. "See ya!" she opened the door. "Oh, by the way, have you started playing TF2 yet?"

Nicole shook her head. "Not yet, but I'll play it soon…"

"Come on, Nicole! You must play it soon! Please let me know when you are going to play it!"

Nicole rolled her eyes. "Don't worry, I will."

Cassie narrowed her eyes. "Very well then…" she closed the door behind her after giving Nicole once last cautious glance.

"Sheesh, Cassie is such a spazz. Well, good thing that she answered my questions and told me what she knew…Unfortunately, her opinion on TentaSpies was negative, just as I expected…"

"Expected what?"

Nicole jumped in alarm and fell from the couch as she saw Damien appear right in front of her. "Geez! Can you give me a warning next time you do that?"

The TentaSpy smirked. "Sorry to pop in unannounced, chéri." he teased.

Nicole stood back up, giving Damien a suspicious look. "How long were you here?"

Damien shrugged. "A while, why ask?"

"Did you hear the conversation?" Nicole asked nervously.

"Oui, I did…" Damien frowned, giving her a dark look. "How dare you say that TentaSpies don't exist!" he hissed, "You're foolish! Absolutely foolish for making such a false claim!"

Nicole stepped back, frightened by Damien's rage. "Hey, hey! T-Take it easy! I had to convince my friend to calm down somehow! I lied to her just so I could make her feel better, okay?"

"Oh…you did?" Damien cleared his throat. "My sincere apologies, ma ami…"

"It's alright, I understand how protective you are with you kind, I guess. Just don't yell at me like that…again."

"Why were you even asking those peculiar questions to your friend?" Damien asked, smiling at Nicole.

"W-Well…I just wanted to see what she thought about, you know…"

"What are jou trying to hide? I already know about the Team Fortress thing."

Nicole blinked in surprise. "Really? Wait, were you there when I explained to the RED Team in that invisible cloak?"

Damien nodded. "Of course."

Nicole frowned. "Okay…but anyway, as I was saying…I just wanted my friend's opinion, that's all." she grinned shyly. "Nothing else, I promise you…"

"Were you…concerned for something?"

Nicole quickly shook her head. "Nope, not at all."

"Hm, you don't sound truthful." Damien sneered.

Nicole began to tremble. "Alright, alright! I saw this thing on my computer…and I saw a picture of a BLU version of you! I-I…wasn't expecting that at all. I knew TF2 was real in this time, but TentaSpies…not so much. Even Spy Crabs exist here in the TF2 game!"

"It's about time I got recognized."

"Uh, okay…I guess…"

"What's wrong, squatine? Jou sounding a bit nervous again." Damien said, giving her a concerned look.

"I'm fine…I'm just…er, cold! Yeah! It's starting to freeze up again…" Nicole said, slowly taking steps away from the TentaSpy.

"Is that so? It doesn't feel that way to me."

"Oh! Would you look at the time?" Nicole suddenly shouted, "I have to see if my cat's okay!" she made a run for the stairs.

"Alright then…Maybe I could visit some other time?" Damien suggested.

"Yeah, sure! Sounds good! See ya!" Nicole said as she rushed up the stairs and into her room. Once she leapt into her room, she closed the door behind her and sighed of relief. "That was close…"

A meow was heard as Sally rolled on the bed and curled into a tight ball, purring loudly like any normal day.

"Look, Sally, I didn't want Damien to know too much about how I was feeling, that's all. Besides, I could have sworn that Damien was inching closer to me!" Nicole shivered. "But I'm glad his evil-side is all gone now…I hope…" she sat down by her cat, stroking her fur gently. "You know, you're a good friend, Sally."

Sally continued to purr, stretching her back legs and curling back up again.

Nicole giggled. "Anyway, enough about what just happened…I can't wait for tomorrow. I wonder what Jèrèmie's planning," she asked towards herself. "I just hope it'll work out."


	38. First Date With BLU Spy

_Author's Note: It's time for the Anonymous Review Reply!_

_**Fred the Fish**- But he still raged either way. Thanks, it's a stress-reliever writing this story and others. I understand. To answer your question: The BLU's don't really care. They only care about themselves. Anyway, thanks for the review!_

_**of bows and arrows**- You're about to find out in this next chapter (and believe me, it's really cute). LOL! It's funny, right? Poor Cassie doesn't know Nicole already knows one. Yup, it's ironic indeed. XD Thanks for the review!_

_**Animed2Fox**- I'm not sure, what's your DA profile name? I would actually like to see it. Thanks for the review! **Damien: *diguised as a human, he decloaks* Why would I be afraid of something that I can eat?**_

**_Avada-_**_ Thanks for the review! Leon: *flees* I DID! I DID! I UNDERSTAND WHAT I DID WRONG! WHY DO YOU KEEP BOTHERING ME?_

Anyway, here's the adorable next chapter! ^_^

* * *

Nicole continued to stare at herself in the bathroom mirror. "Let's see…I brushed my hair and put it in a good ponytail, I brushed my teeth twice, I'm in my best, black jacket, no red or blue on me, nice, clean pants, clean shoes, my lucky cap, and I even have a piece of jewelry on me. Jèrèmie will be here any minute now…"

Sally's meow came from the other side of the closed door.

Nicole sighed. "I know, Sally. It is somewhat awkward to go out with a guy who's much older than I am. But I don't see him very often, so that's why I'm going. Besides, there's nothing to do around here."

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. Nicole jumped in alarm. "Oh! That must be him!" she opened the door and passed her cat. "Take care, Sally, don't do anything while I'm gone. I'll probably be back in an hour…or so…" she ran down the stairs and answered the door. "Hey, Jèrèmie! You're five minutes late…"

The BLU Spy sheepishly grinned. "Oh? Is that so? I thought I was on time…"

Nicole giggled. "I'm just kidding, Jèr, you are on time."

"Good…" Jèrèmie cleared his throat. "So, are you ready?"

Nicole stepped outside and joined the Spy's side. "As always. Remember, I need to-"

"You need to be back by three this afternoon," Jèrèmie interrupted, "Don't worry, chéri, I am a man of my word."

Nicole nodded as she shrugged her shoulders. "I was actually going to say two, but three's fine."

"What do you want to do first?" Jèrèmie asked, "Sightseeing? A walk around the park? Lunch? Jou name it, and we'll do it."

Nicole blushed a little. "Jèrèmie, it doesn't matter to me at all. I want you to surprise me."

Jèrèmie blinked. "Are you sure?"

"Yep." Nicole gave Jèrèmie an assuring look. "I'll enjoy it no matter what."

"Er, alright then…Let us proceed then." Jèrèmie said, holding out his hand to Nicole.

Happily, Nicole took his hand. "Lead the way, Jèrèmie!"

* * *

"And so anyway," Nicole continued, walking by Jèrèmie's side, "that's why my school should consider doing marching band shows from games, like from Left 4 Dead or Halo! But I bet you don't know what I'm talking about, do you?"

Jèrèmie chuckled of embarrassment. "Sorry, I don't…I mean about those games you just said. I don't know what they are."

"It's okay, I understand, none of the RED Team get it either."

"Although, it's quite interesting that we are in a game video, or whatever you call them. Have you played it before?"

With a heavy sigh, Nicole shook her head. "No, I'm too afraid to."

"How come?" Jèrèmie asked.

"I'm afraid of playing you guys wrong." Nicole suddenly blushed and gasped, "No! Wait! That's not what I meant! No way! I meant in the game, you know? I'm afraid of messing up during the game…"

Jèrèmie laughed. "Careful what you say, chéri."  
Nicole scoffed, as if trying to set aside her mistakes. "I know what I'm doing, don't worry about it." she said with as much confidence as possible.

"Of course you know what you are doing, just like you _knew_ to wear stripes with plaid."

"What the-?" Nicole looked down to see her black plaid jacket over her black and green striped shirt. "Oh…guess I got a little too excited there…" she continued to blush.

"It's alright, it's nothing to worry about. You look just fine."

Nicole smirked. "You're just trying to make me feel better, aren't you?"

Jèrèmie smiled back. "Is it working?"

Nicole nodded a little. "Yeah, it's working, thanks."

"You're very welcome. So, what did you think of earlier? Did you have a good time?" the Spy asked.

"It was great! I was actually surprised when you took me to that Italian restaurant, but I have to say I had a great time there. That, I have to admit, was really great pasta!" Nicole beamed.

"Well, I'm glad that you had a good time."

"I still don't' understand why you picked a salad. Out of all the great options they had, you picked just a salad. Why so?"

Jèrèmie frowned. "Hey! I don't tell you how to live your life, chéri."

Nicole shrugged. "I'm just messing with you again, that's all. It's okay, Jèr, I'm still your friend."

Jèrèmie grinned sheepishly. "But of course…"

"Aww, I'm sorry for making fun of you, Jèrèmie." Nicole said as she hugged the Spy.

"It's alright, I don't get offended easily," Jèrèmie explained, "I try to behave like a gentleman, after all."

Nicole laughed. "Of course you do, I'm sure you act like a 'gentleman' during your job, huh? Backstabbing people…literally, killing enemies, scaring people and such…yeah, I can see how well behaved you can be."

"At least I'm not a mad man like Léon was…"

Nicole smile instantly vanished. "That would suck if you were…then I would lock myself in my room trying to keep you out if you were like I used to with Léon…"

"Just be grateful that I'm not, and speaking of that imbecile, how is he doing?" Jèrèmie asked, giving Nicole a worried look.

"Eh, Léon's doing alright for the first couple of days, he hasn't done anything bad so far. Although I have to admit that he acts all creepy as usual, but he's fine…" Nicole shivered for a quick second as she thought of an evil RED Spy. "But…at least I don't see any TentaSpies around here…"

Jèrèmie shrugged and nodded in agreement. "True, I wonder if he straightened out like he promised. Hmph!"

Nicole looked up at the BLU Spy in surprise. "Hm? What's wrong, Jèrèmie?"

"It's just that…I still can't believe what that monster tried to do with you. Even though it's been a long time, it's too horrifying to imagine you trapped in his clutches again."

"Aw, it's alright, Jèrèmie…" Nicole gave him a gentle pat on the back. "It's all over now. Besides, you never know if Damien is trying to actually change or not right at this moment…" Nicole explained, trying to hide her unsure expression.

"You're right," Jèrèmie nodded. "Let's just hope for the best."

"That's the spirit! And let's try to make this day better!" Nicole cheered gleefully, "I wonder if anyone else will think that you're a burglar or a robber just like that one guy from before." she smirked.

"Ugh…" Jèrèmie moaned, "Please don't remind me…"

"Alright then…Hey! Wait a minute! I got an idea what we could do next!"

"Very well then, but we have enough time to do one more thing before we get you back home."

Nicole nodded in understanding. "Have you ever gone ice-skating before?"

* * *

Skaters of all sorts zipped by on the thick ice as Nicole tried to stay on her feet. "Wow, how long has I been since I've done this? Hey, Jèrèmie! Where are you? No wait! Let me guess…right behind me?"

"No, but jou were close that time." Jèrèmie chuckled as he gracefully glided across the ice. "Hm, at least the stakes fit just fine. How about you?"

Nicole shrugged. "I guess they're okay, but I'm too busy trying to stay standing. Man, you look so natural doing it! Have you _really_ done this before?"

"I…can't recall."

Nicole frowned. "Alright then...I haven't done this since I was at least five. I think my parents took me here once. So, do you like Rockefeller Center?"

"Oui, it's very nice, especially with the snow and Christmas décor all around."

"Yeah…Whoa!" Nicole gasped as she nearly lost balance as she skidded across the ice. "That was too close."

"Careful there, chéri, try not to fall."

Nicole smirked. "I'm working on it…" she carefully made little steps towards Jèrèmie. "Just need a bit more time is all…"

"Take all the time you need, but I'm afraid we don't have much time." Jèrèmie said with a small smirk.

"I'm trying!"

"Oh, and by the way, I need to remind you that this was your idea."

Nicole gave the Spy a confused look. "How come?"

"I don't know, just in case you start to blame on something…or someone." Jèrèmie answered, giving her a peculiar look.

Nicole sighed, smiling shyly. "Sorry I'm getting all worked up, Jèrèmie…it's just that I didn't expect ice-staking to be this difficult…" Suddenly, being just a few feet from Jèrèmie, her right foot slipped, causing her to fall right on her back. "Ahh, geez…"

Immediately, Jèrèmie rushed to Nicole's side. "Chéri! Are you alright?"

Nicole nodded. "Yeah…I-I'll be fine, don't worry."

Jèrèmie nodded and held out his gloved hand. "Here, I do believe you need a hand."

Nicole grabbed his and allowed him to help her back on her feet. "Thanks, I appreciated that."

"Now, may I please help you with this? It seems you're still not getting this right."

Nicole blushed and shrugged her shoulders. "Okay, just as long as you don't make me fall."

"Jou 'ave my word, chéri." Jèrèmie grinned, tracing an 'x' over his heart. "You know, you're blushing again."

"I…am?" Nicole asked, feeling more embarrassed than before.

"Oui, you are. Are you feeling alright?"

Nicole laughed weakly. "Yeah! Yeah! I'm just a bit humiliated from the fall I just took."

"Aw, don't worry about it, ma cher, everyone makes mistakes, even I make mistakes." Jèrèmie admitted.

"There you go again, Jèr, you're tying to make feel better about myself." Nicole sighed.

"What are you talking about? I'm being completely honest. I make all sorts of mistakes, like disguised as the wrong class, caught while trying to take the Intelligence, and sometimes I do a terrible acting job right in front of the enemy team while I'm in disguise. It's down right embarrassing once you think about it…"

"Yeah, I guess you're right. You did it again! You made me feel a lot better."

"Good, now let's get started with skating." Jèrèmie took Nicole by her hand and began to guide her across the ice.

By instinct, Nicole clung on to Jèrèmie's right arm. "Easy, Jèrèmie, you're going to fast!"

"Calm down, I'm only trying to help."

"S-Sorry…I'm worried about falling again."

"Let me get this straight, you easily befriended a bunch of men with weapons and a corrupted mutant, but you're nervous about falling on the ice at a simple ice-rink? Hm, very strange." Jèrèmie chuckled lightly.

"Hey! It's just that we're in public! I don't want people looking at me, that's all."

"Just watch my lead and pay attention, and you'll do just fine." Jèrèmie instructed.

Nicole nodded and looked down to mimic Jèrèmie's movements. "I'm going to feel weird when we get off the ice, I hope I don't try to glide across the sidewalk." she giggled.

"Has it really been a while since you skated?" Jèrèmie asked.

"Yep, sure has, it's kind of awkward…"

"Non, not really."

Nicole looked up at the BLU Spy, who was smiling down at her. "Really?"

"Of course, you're just fine."

"Thanks! Wow, you're good at making me feel more optimistic."

"Merci, I guess it's quite a talent I have that comes quite naturally."

Nicole grinned as she skated by Jèrèmie's side across the smooth ice at the beautifully decorated center, enjoying the little moments they spent together as friends. She took a quick glance up to see snow sprinkling down on her frozen face, but she did not mind as she was with a gentleman she cared about.


	39. Confronting Damien

_Author's Note: Hello, everyone! It's time for the Anonymous Review Reply!_

_**Fred the Fish**- I know, right? They either don't know TF2 or just think that he's wearing a skii mask to protect his face from the cold. Thanks for the review!_

_**Avada**- Thanks for the review! Leon: Oui, I know what I did wrong, and I promise I won't do it again._

_**Next future chapter**- That sounds like a good idea! But since I already written all of my chapters for Fortress Manhattan, I go ahead and put your idea in consideration for my third story. I'll even give you credit if you want. Thanks for the review and ideas! :)_

_**Animed2Fox**- Yeah, I'm sorry that things are again pretty slow. But I promise the action will come! Oh yeah! I've seen that pic, and it's really good. ^_^ I just wish I had a DeviantArt account so that I could fav it. You should try doing another one! That would be so cool! Thanks for the review! **Damien**: Eat you? Why would I eat you? I just want to talk. *approaches you*_

_**of bows and arrows**- Yeah, I wanted some cute stuff, and I thought that Jeremie and Nicole needed to spend time together. Aww, I'm sorry your not feeling well. I hope you get better really soon! Thanks for the review!_

_**next chapter**- Don't worry, I have written plenty of chapters for this story and I post them once a week (sometimes twice a week if I'm going to be gone for a while). And are you also **Next future chapter**? Because I will still consider your idea for my third book. Thanks for the review!_

_Okay! Here's the next chapter! Enjoy! :D_

* * *

"Thanks, Jèrèmie, I had a great time. Too bad it had to end so soon…" Nicole beamed.

"It's no trouble at all, chéri. I agree, I do wish your parents would trust you more." Jèrèmie said, giving Nicole a pat on her head.

The two stood by the front door of Nicole's house. She sighed as she nodded at Jèrèmie. "Yeah, but hey, it's not their fault. Besides, I have to check on my cat and see if Cassie left any messages on my phone. She's been contacting me a ton recently."

"Ever since you got that 'Team Fortress 2' game?" Jèrèmie asked.

"Yep…You know you can call it 'TF2', right? It's a lot easier." Nicole informed, giggling a bit.

"Oui, I suppose I could. Well, I have to get going now, before any sees me." he gave a swift kiss on her cheek before cloaking and vanishing. "_Take care, Nicole_…"

"You too." Nicole waved before opening the door and entering her house. "Sally! I'm home!"

"You are? That's wonderful! I'm sure you have so much to talk about."

Nicole stopped dead in her tracks, slowly closing the door. "Huh? What? Who's there?"

She spotted Damien sitting on the couch. He looked over at her, smiling of satisfaction. "Bonjour! Surprised to see me, squatine?"

"Yeah…I am…What are you doing here?" Nicole asked, inching carefully towards the TentaSpy, "And how did you get in my house?"

"I just wanted to see you, of course. I used the front door since it was unlocked."

"I knew I had forgotten something..." Nicole mumbled to herself quietly, "But it's only been a day since you came here last…" she gave Damien a peculiar, yet fearful look.

"Oui, I know. Oh, and don't worry, Jacque is with my kids right now." Damien added.

Nicole noticed what Damien held in his arms. "What are you doing with my cat?" she gasped in horror.

"I'm just holding her. She is such a sweet cat, it's no wonder that you love her so dearly." Damien grinned, stroking Sally's soft, black fur.

Nicole felt her heart hammer hard in her chest. "Please don't hurt her! She's one of my best friends!"

Damien sighed and rolled his golden eyes. "Would you please relax? I'm not hurting her at all. See?" one of his tentacles reached out towards Sally and patted her on the head.

"Stop! No! No! No!" Nicole panicked, feeling a skipped heartbeat.

"Hmph! I don't see what you're problem is. You're too attached to your pet."

"I know, but I know you have a reputation of being a carnivore…a _pure_ carnivore. You'll basically eat anything that moves, crawls, and swims!"

"So why are you so worried about your cat? Are you afraid that I might eat your precious Sally?" Damien started to laugh. "Oh no! I would never eat someone's beloved pet." he set the cat back down, and then glanced back at Nicole expectantly. "Well? Are you coming, my dear?"

"Uh, n-no thanks, I'll just stand over here…where it's ninety-nine percent safe…" Nicole nervously answered, as if knowing what Damien wanted her to do.

"Come over here with me, I promise I won't do anything."

Nicole sighed. "Alright fine! But don't try anything…" she reluctantly joined the TentaSpy and sat down on the other side of the couch, being far away from Damien as possible.

"So tell me, how was your day so far?" Damien asked.

"Uh, it was good, that's all. Nothing really big happened…"

Damien inched closer to Nicole. "It didn't look like it at all. You went out with someone, didn't you?" he sneered, showing his sharp teeth.

Nicole swallowed hard. "Umm, y-yeah…it was just a get together with someone…" she shyly replied, trying to scoot herself back from the TentaSpy.

"_Just_ with someone? Now why would you call Jèrèmie just a 'someone'? Isn't he more to you than anything?" Damien asked.

Nicole blinked in surprise. "How'd you know I was with him?"

Damien chuckled. "I could tell how excited you were when you came in. I know it was that BLU Spy you care about."

Nicole quickly noticed how close Damien was to her. "Uhh, is there any reason why you're merely inches away from me?"

"Sorry…Am I getting too close?"

Nicole nodded. "Just a little…"

Damien pulled back from her. "Well? Aren't you going to tell me how much of a good time you had with this…perfect gentleman, should I say?"

"I don't know…I'm getting really nervous all of a sudden."

"Are you? Don't worry, I'm a friend, jou can tell me anything you like." Damien said, putting his hand on her shoulder.

Nicole flinched, seeing pointed claws underneath his gloves. "Can I just say that we had a good time?" she smiled sheepishly.

"Aw, that's all?" Damien moaned mockingly.

"Yeah, because I can't really describe it." Nicole explained.

Damien sighed, scooting closer to Nicole. "But jou know very well how your little date went."

"Date? Who said that we were on a date?" Nicole demanded, "It wasn't a date! It was just a simple outing!"

"But isn't called a date when a man and a woman go out together? You're trying to hide it, aren't jou?" Damien's smile grew.

Nicole turned slightly pale. "Hide what?"

"Your true feelings. You are so afraid of what others might think of you and your opinions. You shouldn't be scared, my dear." Damien said, while two of his inky-black tentacles coiled around Nicole's waist.

"Uhh, I don't know…I'm starting to get a little uncomfortable right now, to be honest…" Nicole started to tremble as she felt the fleshy-pink suction cups stick onto her.

Damien pulled Nicole towards him. "It's alright. See? I'm not doing anything at all. Now tell me what you really feel."

"Right now, I think I'm about to have a heart attack." Nicole answered, looking down at the snaky-limbs around her with great terror.

"Hm, I can see you're still not entirely used to my tentacles. You must realize how gentle I can be." Damien looked deep into her bright amber eyes.

Just as he expected, Nicole felt her entire body freeze. "Damien…w-why are you looking at me like that?"

Damien said not a word, but another one of his tentacles reached out towards Nicole. Although she wanted move away, she couldn't even move an inch. The tentacle touched the side of her face, stroking her very lightly.

"There, you see now? I, too, can be a gentleman." Damien said.

Nicole's right eye began to twitch. "So, why are you doing this to me when you wanted answers from me about Jèrèmie and I?"

"Hm? I just want you to remain calm, that's all."

"I think you're doing the complete opposite, to be truthful." Nicole said, staring horrifically at the tentacle hat was beginning to snake around her neck. "Okay, I'm officially freaked out now…"

"Why should you be? I am not hurting you in any way. If I was intending to do so, I would easily break your neck with one tight squeeze." Damien clarified as the tentacle around Nicole's throat tightened its grasp for just a moment.

"Ack! D-Damien! What the heck are you doing?"

"But I would never do anything like that." Damien continued, not answering Nicole's question, "Besides, you are my friend."

"Uh, yeah, I can see that…very clearly…" Nicole said, with a slight hint of sarcasm.

"Oh! I almost forgot. You still need to tell me that wonder time you had with Jèrèmie."

"Uh, I can't…don't you think that it's very personal to me?" Nicole asked.

"I'm not letting you go until you do. So if you don't tell me, just get comfortable for a while." Damien smirked, giving her a mocking smirk.

"Come on, Damien! This isn't fair!" Nicole moaned, "Alright…Jèrèmie and I…had a wonderful time…it was great…it couldn't have been any better."

"That's good enough. Thank you." Damien nodded, releasing Nicole from his grip just as he promised.

Nicole quietly sighed of relief. "Alright then, are you happy I said something?"

"Oui, I am. But I'm afraid that I should get going now, I have children to attend to, after all."

"Yes, I know that, Damien…" Nicole said, looking terrified.

"Now what seems to be the problem, chéri?" Damien asked, giving her a worried glance.

"It's nothing to worry about…I'm just…thinking…" Nicole continued to stare blankly at the wall, sitting with her back straight and stiff.

Damien shrugged. "Hm, very well then…au revoir, ma squatine." he disappeared in his cloak.

"Yeah…See ya…" Nicole said, not moving an inch. Once she heard the door open and close, she collapsed on the couch. "That was so weird! What was up with Damien? Why did he act like that? It's no matter though, he promised that he would behave, there's really nothing wrong at all. Sure, Damien was acting a bit strange just then, but I bet it was a one-time thing, either that or it's the fact that he's like the stereotypical Spy…I'm just going to hope that it doesn't happen again…"


	40. Another Simple Visit

_Author's Note: It's time once again for the Anonymous Review Reply!_

_**Avada**- Thanks for the review! **Leon**: *sighs* ...You're serious? Do you have any idea what I've been trough? My Team gave me a hard time already, and I don't want you bothering me about it any more. So please, can you stop bothering about this whole idea. I do not wish to hurt you._

_**Animed2Fox**- Thanks. Well, I had already written all the chapters for this story, but I'll be more than happy to put you in the third story. I even have an idea of what your OC will be. Just give me a description of him and I'll work it out. Again, thanks for the review! **Damien**: Nothing much, I just want to talk._

_**Zoey**- I'm really happy that you love this story. Yeah, I'm scared of Spies too, but I respect them as well. Really? 0_0 Wow, I thought Leon was supposed to be in control. Well, he's quite mischievious sometimes and wants to have fun. So be careful. He scares me too sometimes. XP LOL! That's true, Damien is worse...Anyway, thanks for the review! I appreciate it. It was fun to read. ^_^ **Leon**: ? Uhh...why are you in there? **Jeremie**: ! D: Can you please hide somewhere else beside in there, please? I'm starting to feel uncomfortable. You can hide in my coat pocket if you want. _

_**Bearybeary**- I'm sorry I have to put you in the Anonymous Review Reply, but I couldn't get to you by normal reply. Hmm, you have some really good theories, but you're only going to have to find out as the story moves along. Don't worry, I do not think that you're review's a flame, cliffhanger, etc. Thanks for the review! I appreciate it! :)_

_And now, here's the next chapter! Enjoy! :3_

* * *

Jake was the first to answer the knocking door. "'Sup, Nicole? C'mon in, we were expectin' ya, anyway."

Nicole happily stepped into the factory. "Cool, at least I can get out of the house for a while, my friend wouldn't stop bothering me, it was as if pestering me about playing TF2 with her was the only thing she could do for fifteen minutes straight. It was completely crazy."

Jake frowned. "Wow, that suck-ish, huh?"

"Well, she's my best friend, I just wish she was less of a spazz." Nicole sighed, "So, how's it going?"

"Eh, nothin' much, just hangin' out with the guys. Yo! Where were you yesterday? I thought you were comin'."

"Oh, sorry about that, I got…caught up with something." Nicole answered, trying not to say anything else.

"You were with your friend, weren't ya?"

Nicole paused for a moment. "Who?" she asked, hoping he wouldn't say 'BLU Spy'.

"Duh! Your freakin' spazz of a friend, remember?" Jake lightly tapped Nicole's forehead with his finger. "Somethin' wrong with your brain there, chuckle-nuts?"

"Sorry, I just stayed up too late…" Nicole answered, smiling awkwardly, "But yeah, I did see her yesterday." she lied, thinking about the time she spent with Jèrèmie the day before.

"Anyhow, so you wanna do somethin' or what?" the Scout asked.

"I dunno, I was going to see how everyone else is doing…"

"LOOK! IT'S LITTLE GIRL!" Boleslav shouted, rushing up to Nicole, "IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN!"

Nicole giggled. "It's good seeing you too, Boleslav, how's it going?"

"All is well, just taking good care of Sasha!" the Heavy explained with a gleeful smile.

"That's great, I hope Sasha's doing alright. So, Jake you were-" Nicole glanced over at the Scout.

But the RED Spy stood in his place instead. "BOO!"

Nicole jumped and cowered behind Boleslav. "Geez, Léon! You gave me a heart attack…again!"

Léon laughed. "Sorry, petite chou-fleur, but I couldn't help popping in unannounced. And you thought I was the real Scout. Hilarious, chéri."

"That was so not funny! Where's the real Jake?" Nicole demanded.

As if on cue, the true Scout came running by. "Yo, 'sup? Someone said my name?"

"Yeah, Frenchie here," Nicole explained as she pointed over at the Spy, "decided to be a jerk and disguise as you, so I just wanted to see where you really were."

Jake suddenly began laughing. "HA HA HA! He gotcha again, didn't he? Why do ya think he's been our top Spy for a very long time? He's good at scarin' the crap out of everybody, even our unshaved bear here." he gestured towards Boleslav.

Boleslav looked down angrily at Jake. "I am going to kill you, and kill you, AND KILL YOU, SCOUT!" he barked.

"Boleslav," Léon interrupted, "I'm afraid all the sandwiches are gone, and someone touched your gun earlier…"

Boleslav's expression turned from rage to pure terror. "IT'S NOT POSSIBLE!" he cried out, running off as fast as he could, "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

Léon laughed. "I had a feeling that would work."

Jake busted out laughing as well. "See? Léon here is a spook, sometimes for good…but mostly bad. Just sayin', is all."

Nicole frowned at the Scout. "Mostly bad? Why? Does he scare you too?"

Jake scoffed and crossed his arms. "No freakin' way, Nicole! I ain't scared of him!" he rolled his eyes at Léon. "He's never done so, and never will!"

Léon glanced over at the Scout and grinned. "Are jou absolutely sure about that?" he placed an arm around him.

"Uh…n-no…" Jake answered nervously.

"Are you _really_ sure?"

Within seconds, Jake pulled back. "Whoa, whoa, whoa! What the heck is the matter with ya? I'm outta here!" he panicked as he ran off screaming.

Nicole slowly inched away from the Spy. "I think I'm officially convinced…I guess. I mean, I was convinced like a long time ago…but still…"

"It's alright, chéri, I've already scared jou for the day." Léon said, patting Nicole on the head and walking off.

Nicole sighed of relief. "Thank goodness…"

"Howdy!"

Nicole jumped and turned to see the Engineer. "Oh…hi!" she waved.

"Sorry, Nikki, didn't mean to scare ya." Bill apologized, coming up to her.

Nicole shrugged. "Nah, that's okay, it's not your fault. Besides, I can be easily stared."

"Oh, I see…How've ya been doin'?" Bill asked.

"Just fine, Bill, thanks. Oh! By the way, how's that project of yours coming along?"

"It'll be done in no time at all!" The Engineer answered happily.

"That's wonderful! Will it be done soon?"

"Well, you see, I gotta work out a few bugs and problems with this U.T. and it'll be in prime condition." Bill explained, "Hopefully, at this rate, I'll get it done maybe around Christmas."

Nicole nodded in understanding. "That's cool! I hope it works!"

"Yep, same here…Hey, Nikki, ever played that game with us in it yet? You know, the Team Fortress game that you showed us?"

Nicole sighed. "Yes, I know what you're talking about. No, I haven't yet…"

"Aw, c'mon, why not?"

"I've been not only busy with other things, but I don't have the confidence to play it yet." Nicole frowned.

"It can't be that bad, can it? You can play my character if ya want. I won't mind if ya die a few times, right? As long as you can respawn in that game, you'll be just fine, missy." Bill smiled, assuring Nicole there was nothing wrong.

Nicole smiled back. "Thanks, I might have to take you up on that offer. I'll try playing tonight…But I'm not quite sure about my friend though…she said that she wants to play with me."

"Don't worry about her, Nikki. Didn't ya say that she was hyper?"

"Yeah," Nicole groaned, "she is…But she's getting on my case about this for almost a week…And if I don't respond to her soon, she'll be all over me…"

Bill snickered. "I hope not literally."

Nicole laughed weakly. "Very funny, Bill…" she said sarcastically, "But seriously, I hate it when she gets on my case every single minute of the day. It's annoying…"

"But, uh, she's still your friend, right?" Bill asked, giving Nicole a peculiar look.

"Yep, she's the only one I got in all of New York, but all of you guys are my friends, too!"

"So…you're sayin' that you're not that popular here?"

Nicole sadly shook her head. "No…it's sad once you think about it. I'm pretty unpopular at school."

"I have to admit…that I was too." Bill confessed, smiling shyly.

Nicole blinked in surprise. "Really?"

"Heck ya! I was unwanted when I was in school, since everyone else thought I was the…'lonely technician' because I spent too much time working with science, architecture and machines rather than socializing when about your age. But look where I stand now." the Engineer laughed, "I bet I'm more successful more than any of those yella-bellied cowards!"

Nicole awed, grinning hopefully. "That's pretty neat. If I were to do something like what you did, I could be the best artist! And everyone, even my worst enemies, would be bewildered at my glorious artwork!"

Bill gave Nicole a pat on the back. "Take it easy, missy, let's not get overconfident…That can be bad…"

Nicole lowered her head in shame. "Oh…"

"Nah, it's nothin' to worry about, you'll do great, Nikki."

Nicole scoffed. "Aww, you're saying sappy things to make me feel better…and it's working…"

Bill smirked. "Well, I'm glad it worked."

"So…uh, I hate to change the subject here, but what's Texas like?" Nicole asked, looking at Bill with curiosity.

The Engineer's smile grew. "Well, missy, it's a fine place. Where I came from, there were wide-open spaces and all sorts of country…"

As Bill continued his story, Nicole listened intently about rodeos, star-lit skies, and barbeques. She was glad to be with a friend that listened to her and shared his life-story as any other good friend would.


	41. Quite the Shock

_Author's Note: Hi, guys! I'm sorry I am late. I wish I could have posted this earlier...XP And now for the Anonymous Review reply! :)_

_**next chapter**- That's a good idea, but you'll find out as teh chapters are posted! Thanks for the review! ^_^_

_**Avada**- Thanks fort the review! Leon: O_O NON! *flees*_

_**Zoey**- Yes, I wanted a simple chapter that was easy-going. I'm glad you liked it! Thanks for the review! :3_

_**Animed2Fox**- Awesome! ^_^ I hope you had fun on Scare-Everyone-Day. Oh, I got it! I will make sure to reference to your picture (which is cool, BTW) Thanks for the review! **Damien**: *shrugs* Nothing much...I just need...something from you._

_And now, here's the next chapter! Enjoy!_

* * *

Nicole sat on the living room couch, staring blankly at the television screen. "Maybe I should play TF2 now…after I think about it for another ten minutes…" she stared at the dull screen as if it was really on. "No…I better wait another fifteen minutes…I know Bill wanted me to play tonight, but I'm nervous."

Just then, there was loud banging at the door.

Nicole moaned as she rose and headed towards the door. "Ugh, after two hours of me wasting my own time thinking, she decides to bother me now. Great…just great…I just hope she doesn't yell at me…" she opened the door. "Cassie, what a surprise to see you again."

Just as Nicole expected, Cassie barged in to the house, slamming the door behind her. "Nicole! You were supposed to call me about three hours ago! Where the heck have you been?" she snapped furiously.

"I've been here…" Nicole answered, giving her friend a blunt expression, "I was wasting two of my hours doing nothing but thinking."

"But why?"

"Because I am still unsure about playing TF2…" Nicole said, looking guilty.

Cassie laughed. "That's all? C'mon, Nicole, that can't be the reason for not playing TF2!"

Nicole nodded. "But it's true, I'm afraid of messing up on my first try. And besides, all the characters look too good to play…"

"Seriously, they're just video game characters, they don't really have minds of their own, right?" Cassie scoffed, "I mean, they are cool, don't get me wrong, but you don't have to feel that you are not worthy of playing. So, what class are you going to pick?"

Nicole shrugged. "I still haven't decided."

"You know what you should start as? You should start of simple, be a Spy."

Nicole gave Cassie a confused look. "But why? Isn't he supposed to be complicated?"

"All the classes can be complicated once you think about it, but being a Spy isn't all that bad. You don't even have to show your true self, or even show up at all. You can sneak around and backstab people."

"That's why there's a Pyro class, Cassie…" Nicole added.

"Who cares? You can still have fun." Cassie giggled.

"Cassie…you're a bit hyper this afternoon…more than usual. Is that a good thing?"

"Well, yeah! Duh, Nicole! I'm always hyperactive when it comes to games, right? You should know that!"

"I guess…but seriously, you need to calm down. You're starting to act just a bit crazier than normal." Nicole said, putting her hand on Cassie's shoulder. "Did you play too much Silent Hill last night? I thought we had that talk before."

"No! No! No! What are you talking about, Nicole? I'm fine. For once, I had a good rest." Cassie smiled innocently.

"Alright…but seriously, you're acting like your on high…"

Just then, Cassie grabbed Nicole by the shoulders with a crazed look in her eye. "Maybe you should stop worrying about screwing up in TF2 and start playing with me!"

Nicole gasped in complete astonishment, "Whoa, Cassie, take it easy! Look, I know that you're frustrated at me not playing with you, but you should really take a chill-pill."

"Come on, Nicole! Get your butt upstairs and play with me!" Cassie growled, shaking her with a dark glare and a wicked smile.

"Cassie, seriously! You're starting to weird me out…and that's a first…"

"Play with me, Nicole! Play with me!" Cassie demanded continually as her grip on Nicole tightened, "Please? Please? PLEASE?"

"Ow! CASSIE, FOR THE LOVE OF GORDON FREEMAN, YOU NEED TO FREAKING RELAX!" Nicole yelled, starting to get impatient, "AND YOU'RE HURTING ME A LITTLE BIT!"

"Play with me! Play! Play! Play with me…ma squatine!"

Nicole instantly turned pale. "What did you just call me?" she instantly froze upon looking at Cassie's eyes.

But they weren't Cassie's eyes. The golden, reptilian eyes continued to gaze right back at Nicole.

Nicole began to tremble. "No…i-it can't be! No wonder Cassie was acting a bit off…"

Huge, black smoke began to erupt as Damien dropped his disguise. "Come play with me, mademoiselle! It would please me very much! Play with me, ma petite squatine!" he laughed manically.

Nicole screamed of pure fright as she tried to pull herself free. "What the heck is wrong with you, Damien? L-Let go! The joke's over now! I wish I'm wearing a jacket so I can make an easy getaway! But can you please let me go?"

Damien continued to laugh. "You should have seen the look on your face!" he sneered, letting go of Nicole.

Nicole jumped back, managing to fall backwards in the process. "You took that _WAY_ too far, Damien! You seriously scared the living crap out of me!"

"Wasn't it magnificent? I had it perfectly planned out."

"Now I don't even know if Cassie's okay. What have you done to her?" Nicole demanded fearfully.

"I have done nothing to 'er, chéri. I haven't even laid a single tentacle on her. I had to hide myself from that…maniac. She really is a hyper, confusing human. I'll never truly understand her behavior."

Nicole panted, trying to regain her breath. "Damien, that was horrifying to me!"

Damien smiled. "Excellent, my brilliant plan worked!"

"No, Damien, I'm trying to say that it was completely terrible, I almost cried." Nicole rephrased.

"That's just what I wanted to hear from you, Nicole. You had a wonderful reaction." Damien chuckled darkly.

"Will you please just listen to me?" Nicole barked, pounding her fist to the carpet. "I am _desperately_ trying to tell you that what you did was wro-!" she quickly was interrupted as a tentacle curled over her mouth.

"Shh! that's enough from you, dear, you're spoiling my moment." Damien frowned.

Nicole whimpered, knowing that the sticky tentacle would muffle her voice.

"Now, you're wondering why I'm here, aren't you?" Damien grinned. "As you can clearly see, I love visiting you. And yes, Jacque is taking good care of Seth and Dimitri."

Nicole's eyes narrowed, focusing a small, dark stain on the TentaSpy's sleeve before glancing back at him again.

"Hm?" Damien noticed the stain on his sleeve and moaned. "Ugh...another one? I thought I cleaned my suit! I cannot believe there is blood on my suit!"

Nicole's eyes widened of fear. Thinking of the worst, she tried tugging at the tentacle around her.

"There's no threat, so stop worrying. I know it's blood, that was from my lunch."

Nicole moaned, giving up on her struggle for freedom. She crossed her arms and gave Damien a demanding glare.

"Now what is your problem? Get over it. I am through with games now! Just relax, I am not here to hurt you." Damien hissed, dragging his tentacle off from Nicole.

Nicole sighed. "I was asking you to get that thing off from me."

"Couldn't you have said it in a more polite tone?" Damien inquired.

Nicole frowned. "How was I supposed to do that? You prevented me from speaking!"

"SILENCE!" Damien growled, nearly lunging at Nicole.

Instantly, Nicole ducked and covered, curling into a ball. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I didn't mean it!" she pleaded, "Don't hurt me!"

Damien rage turned to regret in a manner of seconds. "I must apologize for my behavior, Nicole. Things haven't been going my way all day today."

Nicole sat up, feeling just as bad. "It's okay…I mean, I've been stressing out too…" she flinched as another tentacle wrapped around her bare arm.

"May I help you up?" Damien asked with a small grin.

Nicole gave a curt nod. "Sure, you already have a hold on me…"

With no effort, Damien hoisted Nicole back on her feet, but immediately yanked her towards him. "So, how was your day today?"

"Uh, fine…I guess…I'm a bit sore from you nearly ripping my arm off just now, but I'll recover."  
"Good…"

"So, uh, what happened that caused you to have a bad day?" Nicole asked worryingly.

"First off, it took a long time to find food for the children. I guess I found out the hard way it's not so easy to fish in these parts…I had to finally to resort as disguising myself as a human just so I could go in the nearby market."

"Did you have money?"

Damien nodded as he rolled his eyes. "Of course I did, how do you think I get around easily here? The taxis can be quite useful. But as I was saying, I managed to feed the boys, but it took me almost hours just to find myself something decent. Unfortunately, it was a messy business, but at least he, uh, I mean 'it' was a fine meal…" he smiled sheepishly.

Nicole swallowed hard. "What do you mean?"

"I picked off a…pathetic dog…from the streets," Damien hesitated, "and it was a male, that's what I meant to say."

"Okay…but how did you get messy by taking down a dog? How big was it? And I really don't think that's dog blood at all…"

"Please, no more questions. But the worst of the day was trying to clean my suit. At least I got most of it off."

"Wow…I'm so sorry you had a terrible day." Nicole said, patting Damien on the back.

Damien smiled weakly. "Merci. I'm somewhat pleased that I gave you quite a fright. I was relieved thanks to you."  
"I understand that you really enjoyed scaring me half to death. But seriously, don't do it again. Take it down a notch next time you decide to freak me out again, which I know you will pretty soon."

Damien's bloodstained teeth revealed as he smiled. "You know me very well, don't you?"

Nicole frowned. "Uhh, I don't want to be mean or anything…but do you ever brush your teeth?"

Damien flicked Nicole on the nose. "Of course I do! Where do you think I live in? In a cave?"

Nicole gave the TentaSpy a flat look as she nodded. "Actually you do."

Damien sighed, becoming very annoyed. "Alright! So I do, but I still have good hygiene."

"Okay! Okay! I believe you! Just stop getting all agitated and taking out your aggression on me. I'm sorry for acting terrible. We _all_ had a long day…"

"I suppose you are right…I'm sorry too." Damien apologized, "I'll try to control my temper…and I'll try to resist the temptation of giving you too much of a good scare. But recently, it's been a lot of trouble for me to keep myself stable…"

"How come?" Nicole asked worryingly.

"I'm…not quite sure. I'm sure things will be back to normal. In the mean time, I better check on Dimitri and Seth and make sure that they are doing well." Damien said as he pulled back.

Nicole stared uncomfortably at the tentacle still around her arm. "Uhh, Damien…you forgot something."

"Oh! So I did. Here, I'll get it." Damien's tentacle tried to pull itself off from Nicole, but it was stuck on her. With a heavy sigh, he grabbed the tentacle with both hands and yanked it off from her.

"Ah, geez, Damien!" Nicole grunted, "Be careful next time!"

"I'm sorry, it's usually a habit of mine to have tentacles stick on to vict-" Damien stopped and thought for a moment as he placed his tentacle back down. "I meant people. It's a just a force of habit to have them stick like that."

Nicole looked at him with a suspicious glare. "Uh-huh, sure it is…"

"As I was saying…I'll see you around." Damien waved, vanishing in his cloak.

"See ya…" Nicole shyly waved back.

"_But shouldn't you be used to having a Spy scare you all the time_?"

Nicole jumped in alarm. "I'm still not quite sure. I'm still scarred from all the events I had freaking gone through, and it is not easy recovering from that."

"_Don't worry, you'll be just fine. I'm sure Jèrèmie is helping you too_."

"Hey! It's not like that, Damien! And will you stop mentioning Jèrèmie? That's _really_ starting to make me really uncomfortable!"

There was no response.

Nicole watched the door open and close. "Hmph, I had a feeling he would leave before I could get the answer to my question. Why does he keep mentioning Jèrèmie? That's kind of creepy. But oh well, tomorrow will be a new day, and I am positive that Damien's gong to be okay. Even he said that he'll be fine." she looked down at her arm, horrified to see red rings all over it. "Aw man! That tentacle must have clung on a _little_ too well…I hope this comes off soon, or I'm going to have wear jackets all the time…"


	42. First Time on TF2

_Author's Note: Surprise! It's an extra update! I will not be here next week, so this is a special treat to my wonderful readers. With _**Fortress Manhattan **_having __over 300 reviews, you guys are awesome! I thank you for your support and I hope you continue to support this series in the future! :D And now here's the Anonymous Review Reply!_

_**Avada**- Thanks for the review. **Leon**: *runs faster* GO AWAY!_

_**next chapter**- Thanks for the review! :D I appreciate it!_

_**Animed2Fox**- Yes, it was creepy...but it's going to be creepier soon. 0_0 Thanks for the review! **Damien**: Nothing much...just revenge. *grin*_

_**Fire-Dragon10**: It's okay. It's still good to see you again. ^_^ Damien's kind of losing it, as you can see. But will he be able to control himself? You're going to have to find out. ;) Of course she can be in the third story. I will promise to give you credit for your character. I have an idea for all the readers who want themselves and their characters in this awesome chapter. Alright! I will do my best. Thanks for the review!_

_And now here's the next chapter! Enjoy, everyone! This chapter is dedicated to all the loyal readers of the _**Princess of the Fortress **_series! ^_^_

* * *

"Alright, focus, I have to pick a character soon…which one should I choose first?" Nicole focused deeply on the computer screen, frequently scrolling over the nine classes. "I can't believe I'm finally playing TF2! But which character should I choose first? Hm, Scout seems to be a good choice…Nah, never mind. Well, at least I knew to pick the RED Team! HA HA!"

Just then, the cell phone began to vibrate on the desk, ruining Nicole's moment. She rolled her eyes as she picked it up and answered it. "Cassie?"

"Yeah, it's me! I can't believe you're playing TF2 finally! I'm already at 2Fort as a BLU Spy! Are you ready yet?" the speakers boomed.

"Ow! Cassie!" Nicole pulled the phone back from her ear. "You're practically yelling in my ear. No, I am not ready yet. I picked out a Team, but I'm having a hard time picking a class."

"Just freaking pick something, Nicole! I'm not going to wait for two hours for you to pick a class."

"Alright, alright, alright! I'll pick…"

"PICK THE SNIPER! THAT'LL BE SO MUCH FUN!"

Nicole moaned. "No, Cassie, I'll meet you when I'm ready."

"You have your headphone piece so we can talk?"

"Yes, Cassie, chill out. See ya." Nicole happily pressed the end call button and placed on the headphone set. "There we go…now what to do, what to do…?"

"Ahem. Maybe jou should want my judgment first."

Nicole glanced over behind her and sighed of relief. "Oh! It's just you, Jèrèmie…"

Jèrèmie smirked as he approached her. "Did I scare you again?"

"A little bit, it's just that I had a panic attack earlier today…" Nicole explained, briefly shivering at the thought.

"What happened?"

"My friend, er…Cassie, decided to go haywire and went crazy. It was pretty nerve-racking if you ask me…" Nicole explained with little detail as possible.

"Oh, I'm terribly sorry to hear that…"

Nicole smiled. "Eh, it's okay, we got over it like it was nothing. So everything's cool now."

Jèrèmie nodded in understanding. "At least everything worked out…But there's only leaves one question left."

Nicole scoffed and rolled her eyes teasingly. "You're going to say it, aren't you? I just know you are…"

"Which class are you going to pick?" Jèrèmie asked with a grin, "I see you picked the RED Team…interesting."

"Thanks, but I don't know which character I should play…" Nicole paused for a brief minute. "Very well, I've finally decided!"

"Who are you going to be?"

"…An Engineer!" Nicole scrolled over to the class of her choice and clicked.

"Not bad of a choice." Jèrèmie complemented.

"Hm, I had a feeling you would want me to be a Spy, but I don't have the confidence to be that class yet." Nicole joked, watching the RED Engineer on the screen, "Okay…I'm out and about on 2Fort. I'm sure Cassie will come over in just seconds."

"Just out of curiosity, do you have some sort of codename in this game?" Jèrèmie asked.

"Yep, I am known as 'Night-Striker 24' in most online games I play. Cassie will recognize me in no time at all. In the mean time, I'm going to see if I can build a sentry…" she carefully worked at the computer, watching the Engineer place down a toolbox and start on the level one sentry by a lonely corner by the Respawn room.

"Hm, a very likely place to put a sentry." Jèrèmie laughed.

Nicole frowned. "Of course you would think that. Apparently, you're the expert of sapping buildings and such."

"You know, for your first time playing this, you're pretty good. How is that possible?"

"I spent a lot of time researching and doing my homework on this, so that's why. Oh, and I printed out sheets with all the instructions. It wasn't easy, but I did it…" Nicole explained, seeing the level one sentry finish. "Great! I finished that sentry! Awesome! My first accomplishment in TF2!"

"Now let me sap it." Jèrèmie teased.

"NO WAY! There is no way you can do that!" Nicole snapped, "I just made this on my own for the first time! And I'm not going to let anybody touch my proud piece of work!"

Just then, the sentry on the screen began to spark and buzz. Nicole gasped as she saw an electro-sapper on the machine. "What the heck? That's not supposed to happen!"

Jèrèmie chuckled. "I thought you said that you weren't going to let anyone touch your precious sentry."

"I wasn't expecting this so suddenly! How do I get this sapper off?" Nicole panicked, as the Engineer on the screen ran around in circles. Soon, the sentry exploded, leaving nothing put broken parts behind. "Crap! This is just wrong! Can things get any worse?" she watched in shock to see a BLU Spy uncloak himself and backstab her Engineer on the computer. "I feel so helpless!"

"Not bad, not bad at all for your first time. You'll get used to that, chéri, I will assure you." Jèrèmie patted Nicole on the head.

Nicole focused on the top corner. "Aw great! It's 'Silent-Who 64'! C'mon! How come she gets to backstab me?"

"Who's 'Silent-Who 64'?" Jèrèmie asked.

"That would be Cassie…I know so because that is her main codename, or username as we say it. Still, I can't believe it! She backstabbed me! I knew something like this would happen!"

"Hee-hee, got ya, Striker!" a familiar voice giggled on the computer.

Nicole sighed, turning on her headphones. "That was so, not cool, Silent-Who! I just started only five minutes ago!"

"Hey, you decided to be RED, so I decided to take advantage over that. See, BLUs are better!"

Jèrèmie tried not to laugh at the situation. He quietly watched Nicole try to handle it.

"Pfft! In your dreams, REDs are _so_ better than BLUs!" Nicole scoffed, "At least you don't see blood stains on red clothing!"

Jèrèmie cleared his throat, indicating that he was still in the room.

Nicole placed the headset down and looked over at the Spy. "Sorry, Jèrèmie, you're cool. You're the only BLU I like."

Jèrèmie silently nodded and smiled back.

"Nuh-uh! I'd rather be dead than a RED!" Silent-Who 64 said through the speakers.

Nicole sighed as she unplugged her headset in frustration. "Seriously? You don't know unless you try." she watched her Engineer respawn. "You know what, I'm staying in here! That's what!"

There was no response, except for a certain side-chat on the side with Silent-Who 64 saying: 'You're too scared to come out and play! You're afraid I'll backstab you again! Tee-hee!'

Nicole growled. "That's it! She's getting way too competitive!" she joined the side chat typing: 'No I'm not! I just need to time to think my plan over! I really want you to take it easy on me!"

'Sorry, I can't, that's the way of war, Striker. But it's okay, we are still buddies! 8D,' said the note of Nicole's friend.

'Yes we are…' Nicole replied, typing rather slowly.

"Hm, I didn't know you cared aboutyour friend so dearly." Jèrèmie sneered.

Nicole gasped. "It is so not like that! What the heck are you thinking, anyway?"

"Oh, chéri, can't you take a joke?" Jèrèmie teased.

Nicole pouted. "I'm still don't know…you act as if you are serious."

Jèrèmie shrugged. "Well, mostly I do, but even a Spy can have some fun every now and then."

"…I found that out…the hard way." Nicole frowned, continuing to play as the Engineer and hoping that nothing else could go wrong.


	43. Fun with Games and Such

_Author's Note: Hello! I'm back from my vacation! I'm sorry I'm late on the update...XP But here's the Anonymous Review Reply! _

_**next chapter**- Well, the RED Team are very careful about that. So they won't get their cover blown yet. Thanks for the review!_

_**Avada**- Thanks for the review! **Leon**: You're not going to do it? *sighs of relief* Good. WAH! *dodges knife* Don't hit me with that!_

_**Animed2Fox**- Yup, I thinking that it's not easy to play TF2. No, that ID is not my real ID. I don't even have TF2 yet. But when I do, the ID (Username) Will be the same as my fanfiction username (Flygon Pirate). That sounds like fun! I should get TF2 soon then. Thanks for the review! **Damien**: It's easy. Just help me locate this one person. And then you can go free._

_And now here's the next chapter! Enjoy everyone! :D_

* * *

Nicole slowly raised her head from the table, opening her eyes. "Ugh…so many hours…so little progress. At least I was awake enough to log off and turn off the computer. What time is it?" she looked over at her clock on top of the dresser. "Dang…it's already noon! That was some night. Where's Jèrèmie?" she looked around before spotting a note, written in blue ink, on the desk. "Hm, must be from him." she picked up the note and began to read:

_Nicole, I'm sorry I left so suddenly, but it was getting late and I couldn't stay for too long. I had other things to do. But I had a wonderful time watching you play your 'TF2' game for the first time. I'll see you really soon. Sincerely, Jèr._

Nicole smiled weakly. "Yep, I'll see you around too." she placed the note down and stood up. "Well, time to check on Sally and see if she's okay."

"NO WAY! I AIN'T GONNA DO THAT!"

"GO ON, YOU SISSIFIED MAGGOT, BE A MAN AND GET HER DOWN HERE!"

"But…what if she's busy or something?"

Nicole sighed upon hearing the two voices arguing from downstairs. "Alright, better see if everything is fine down there, even though it doesn't sound like it. I hope the cat is _really_ okay…" she made her way out from her room and to the stairs. "Thank goodness I'm wearing yesterday's clothes instead of flimsy PJ's."

Standing over in the living room were the Scout, Soldier, and Sniper. Jake looked up to see Nicole walking down the stairs. "Ha! She's on her way. That solves the problem, helmet-head." He mockingly patted Kyle's helmet.

"Watch it, you spineless worm!" The Soldier growled.

"G'mornin', Shelia…or should I say 'good afternoon,'" Benny snickered, "we were wondering if you were gonna sleep the whole day through."

"Sorry, guys…I kind of stayed up late a little too long."

"Enough talk, maggot, we got something important to tell you!" Kyle announced, "It's very urgent!"

"Was it important enough for all three of you guys to break into my house again?" Nicole smirked.

"C'mon, Nicole, just admit that you're used to us REDs comin' in here all the time, even with out you knowin'." Jake said.

"Alright! I'm kind of used to it by now…mostly because of Léon sneaking in here every now and then. But what's Kyle freaking about now?" Nicole asked, waiting patiently for the Solider to say something.

"Alright, maggot, listen up and listen well! We recently have been reported that there have been strange disappearances with the citizens living around here. Most of these disappearances occurred usually at night by the harbor by our base." Kyle explained, "So I want you to be careful when going back home from the factory."

"So what you're telling me is that people have been vanishing around the old factory?" Nicole rephrased, "Hmmm…that is weird…" she thought for a moment, trying to figure something out. "Very coincidental…"

"What's coincidental?" Kyle asked.

"Oh, nothing…I just remembered that I've been seeing that on the news for a while now…" Nicole answered.

"Look, mate, what we're trying to say is that we want you to be extra cautious." Benny clarified.

"That's okay, I always had been careful. So you have nothing to worry about." Nicole smiled confidently.

Jake scoffed. "Oh yeah, you were very careful back at the Fortress, that's why you got into trouble all the time and got kidnapped at least three times."

Nicole frowned. "Hey! But I am careful here! This isn't the Fortress, guys!"

"Uh-huh, you were also careful when Léon decided to try raping you just days before." Jake continued.

"OKAY! I GET IT, ALREADY!" Nicole barked, "So can we please move on to something else besides safety concerns?"

"Uhh, you alright there, Nicole?" Jake asked, "You're gettin' a little too tense there…"

Nicole paused, taking in a deep breath. "Yeah…I'm fine…just lost it there for a second. So anyway, so what's the real reason why you guys showed up?"

"We just want to spend time with ya, Shelia." Benny explained, "Hey, how about we head down over at the park and do some archery again?"

Nicole shook her head. "In the snow? No, it's a bit cold…"

"Well, can we at least stay here for a while?"

"Of course. Why would I ever turn you guys down?" Nicole smiled.

"Well, duh, we know how to use weapons, and we carry some with us all the time!" Jake answered.

Nicole's smile quickly disappeared. "Yeah, Jake, I figured that out when I first met you guys. I wasn't going to you turn you guys down because each and every member of the RED Team is my friend." She explained.

"Yeah, yeah, we know already…But wait, don't you still hate Léon or somethin'?" Jake asked.

"Well, we talked, and we're getting along. So it's okay, I consider him a friend now." Nicole clarified.

"Really? Huh…alright then, let's do somethin' fun. I'm getting bored by just standin' around talkin' 'bout nothin' important." Jake stretched his arms as he complained.

"Well what the heck do you guys what to do? Play a game? Watch TV? Sit and chat about something else? Can you please give me some suggestions here? You, Jake, don't need my help!" Nicole rolled her eyes.

Jake gave Nicole a flat, blunt look. "…You really did wake up on the wrong side of the freakin' bed, didn't ya?"

"Not really, I just didn't get enough sleep…that's all…Does anyone have chocolate bars or anything?" Nicole asked.

Benny frowned. "Nope, sorry, mate. Maybe this wasn't the best time to visit…"

"Wait, it's alright, I'll be fine. I might 'officially' wake up in a moment or so. Don't worry about it, sorry if I'm really off today." Nicole explained as best as she could.

The Sniper smiled uncomfortably. "Uh, yeah, I see there. So, Shelia, do you have anything in mind?"

"Well, do you guys want to play a game or something?" Nicole suggested.

"What do you mean by 'playing a game', maggot?" Kyle questioned.

Nicole suddenly smiled. "Relax, Kyle, it's not that hard. It's actually pretty simple. Just let me set up real quick and we'll get started."

* * *

Jake swung the little white remote viciously. "Geez, this is some freakin' odd way to play tennis! C'mon, hit the ball towards me, helmet-head! I got it, I got it, I got it!"

"Hold still, ya bloody mongrel!" Benny growled, trying not to hit the Scout with his remote, "Let me hit the ball!"

"C'mon, maggot, show some backbone! We need to beat them! Hurry! They're only fifteen points away from beating us!" Kyle shouted at Nicole, waving his arms about.

Nicole swung, focusing deeply at the ball on the TV screen. "I've been trying as hard as I can! I can't believe how competitive you guys can be. Remember, it's just a game, so easy does it, Soldier."

The four stood in a row in front of the living room TV, swinging competitively as they played one of the four games of Wii Sports. While Benny and Jake tried to work as one team, having their little Wii characters wearing orange, Kyle and Nicole fought together on the other team, being represented by red characters. The Mii characters swung, jumped, and even rolled in order to reach the ball. The score was evened out and it was the final match, as the four of them struggled even more to win.

"C'mon, Benny, let me have a freakin' swing at it!" Jake begged, "I have a good shot here! Let's go! Let's go!"

"Not right now! The ball's comin' towards me, ya little wanker!" Benny snapped, swinging the Wii remote to correspond with his Mii's movement.

"Easy, boys, I don't want anyone to make a mess." Nicole said, trying to calm down the two and play at the same time, "Can't we get along? It's only a simple and friendly game of virtual tennis. This shouldn't be too competitive, guys, it's not like _real_ tennis or anything…"

"Enough talk, maggot, just keep swinging!" Kyle shouted, interrupting her, "We only have one chance to do this right! And I do NOT tolerate losing!"

"Kyle! My whole arm feels like it's going to fall off if you keep pushing me like this!" Nicole moaned, trying to keep her arm up for as long as possible.

"Now, Jake, now!" Benny called, "Make the shot, while Shelia's weak!"

Jake smirked. "Don't worry, Snipes, I'm on it!" he swung, watching his Mii hit the ball and fly over the net. "Alright! Did ya see that? I'm not even winded!" he cheered happily.

"How can you even get tired from playing a game like this? You're not moving that much." Benny asked, giving the Scout a confused look.

Nicole sighed as she watched the ball hit her side of the court. "My arm is killing me from swinging around for too much."

Kyle gasped as he saw the final score change for Benny and Jake's team. "Grr, no! What was that for, you sissy maggot? You made a disgrace to our team! We made an agreement to work together to beat those sorry sacks of scum!"

Nicole frowned at the Soldier. "You really are a serious guy, huh?"

Benny and Jake smiled as they saw their winning reply and victory screen. "Nice one, mate! You did a great job!" the Sniper smiled.

Jake scoffed. "Eh, it was nothin', you weren't so bad yourself, Snipes."

Nicole slowly glanced over at wall clock, suddenly horrified to see the small hand on the nine and the big hand on the six. "Uhh, we have stop right now." She announced, quickly turning off the Wii console and TV.

"What the-? What the heck was that crap, Nicole? I was just getting' warmed-up!" Jake complained.

"We don't have much time! Since my parents left a note on the fridge that they would be back by nine-thirty, they are going to be here any minute! I can't believe I lost time…" Nicole panicked, "All of you, get up to my room and meet me up there, now!"

"Pfft! C'mon, how bad can your parents be, anyhow?" Jake asked with a smug look on his face.

"Jake, you have no idea. They would literally have a heart attack if they saw any of you guys. So go upstairs now!"

Jake rolled his bright green eyes as he ran up the stairs effortlessly. "Okay, okay, calm down, Nicole."

The other two followed. Kyle stopped and turned towards Nicole. "What's so important about this, anyhow? We, mostly just Benny and I…"

"Hey!" Jake glared at the Soldier before running into Nicole's room.

"…We are grown men, Nicole, so we can take care of these parents ourselves." Kyle continued, putting his hands together and popping his knuckles.

Nicole rushed up to the Solider, pushing him towards the stairs. "That's what worries me more. Now get up there and hide! Go! Go! Go!"

Mumbling to himself, Kyle dragged himself upstairs, following the other two. Nicole stayed behind, watching the front and back door very carefully. "How can I lose track of time already? I must have stayed up late for too long…"

Just then, the front door opened as Nicole's parents entered the house. "Hi, Mom! Hi, Dad!" she waved innocently like any other normal day. She quickly looked up at the stairway to see if her guests had hidden themselves before looking back again.

"Honey, what's wrong?" her mother asked, "You seem more anxious than usual."

"I'm really, really…uhhh, hoping that I…cleaned the upstairs well enough." Nicole hesitated, "I'm been working on it all afternoon…So I'm fine right now. Don't worry about anything, Mom."

"Are you sure you're okay, Nicole?" Mr. Anderson asked.

Nicole nodded quickly as she slowly made her way up the stairs. "Yes, Dad, I'm okay, it's just a little cold in here and I'm going to my room to warm up, that's all. So please don't get worked up over nothing. Everything is under control…"

Mrs. Anderson continued to give her the worried look. "But don't you want any-?"

"Goodnight, Mom and Dad!" Nicole interrupted, slipping into her room. "Phew…that was too close."

"It's about time you showed up, maggot." Kyle growled, looking through her dresser. "I was starting to get bored."

"Kyle! What are you doing?" Nicole rushed up to the Soldier. She closed the dresser and glared. "Can't you see that this is personal stuff here?"

"I just want to let you know that you have some blue shirts in there, and I want you to get rid of them!" Kyle demanded.

"They are just shirts, so relax. Just because I have some blue clothes does NOT mean I'm with the BLU Team. Haven't we discussed this before?"

Kyle shrugged his shoulders. "Maybe…"

Benny was studying the bookshelves. "Did you read all of these books?" he asked.

"Not all of them…but I'm still working on it. Just try not to take any of them out, I just put them back in alphabetical order by the author's last name recently, and you have no idea how long that took." Nicole explained.

Jake stood in the middle of the room, playing Nicole's Nintendo DS. "Hey! I made it to level 3! Take that, you spiky turtle, fire-breathing mutant!" he cheered to himself.

"Guys, keep it down! My parents might here you!" Nicole shushed, startled to hear footsteps towards her room. "Crap! Guys! Hide now! Jake, hide under the bed! Benny and Kyle, you two hide in the closet!"

"But why?" Jake questioned, still focused on the game.

"I said get to your hiding spots now! If they find any of you, we're all screwed!" Nicole growled, pushing Jake towards the bed.

"Alright, alright! Can you freakin' calm down?" Jake moaned as he crouched down and crawled under the bed. "Is this better for ya?"

"Yes, much better! Now don't move until I say the coast is clear."

Benny headed towards the closet, dragging Kyle along with him. "Now, now, mate, let's do what Shelia says."

"No! I want to teach her parents about respect!" Kyle tried to pull away.

The Sniper shoved Kyle into the closet. "That's what we want the least. Now get in there and try not to cause any trouble in there. The last thing I want is a run-in with the parents." He said as he closed the doors behind him.

"Thanks for cooperating, Benny!" Nicole nodded. "Okay, I got act cool like nothing ever happened…"

"Nicole?" Mrs. Anderson called as she began to open the door.

"MOM!" Nicole cried out, "I'm getting undressed in here! Do you mind?" she pretended to take off her shirt.

"Oh, sorry…" the door was quickly closed again. "I just wanted to say thank you for keeping the house clean as usual. And I was wondering if you wanted dinner."

"No thanks, Mom, I already fed myself."

"Alright then…goodnight." Mrs. Anderson's voice faded.

Nicole waited for a moment until it was silent. "Alright, coast is clear." She announced quietly as she straightened her shirt.

Jake inched out from under the bed. "You were seriously gettin' undressed there?" he smirked.

Nicole frowned. "No! I had to do something in order to keep my mom out from my room."

Benny and Kyle poked their heads out from closet as they slowly opened the double doors. "So now what do we do? I don't want to be stuck in here for the night."

"I have more important business to attend to, maggot! So hurry up and think of something!" Kyle commanded.

"Well, the only thing I can think of is for you three to wait until later tonight. My parents usual fall asleep around eleven or so." Nicole answered.

"But that's another six hours or so!" Kyle complained, "I am not going to waste time in this prissy little room of yours!"

Nicole rolled her eyes in annoyance. "Just suck it up, I have no other plan…unless you want to risk it all and sneak out of here right now while Mom and Dad are downstairs watching TV at this point. So just make the best of it and calm down. Besides, it can't be all that bad, right?"

"Who wants to play this 'Mario Kart' game I just found?" Jake asked, waving the DS around. "I've only been playing it for five minutes and I'm already freakin' good at it! C'mon! First come, first serve! I wanna see how terrible you first try is so I can laugh at ya!" he laughed.

Kyle groaned as he shook his head. "I knew that playing that Wii-box game was a terrible idea…"


	44. Unexpected

_Author's Note: Hi, guys! It's time once again for the Anonymous Review Reply! :D_

_**next chapter**- You'll find out in this chapter! Thanks for the review!_

_**Herr E**- To answer your question: Yes, all of the Spies have their watches on (including the TentaSpy), but I'm not so sure if they have the Cloak and Dagger with them. Wow! I'm really happy you love my story. To answer your other question: The reason why I don't post them up all at once is because I don't want to update too fast. Besides, I like doing my daily updates. Cool, that's really neat that you are a hardcore reader and loved my previous story. (Yeah, I'm sorry that the Sniper and Engineer have similiar names). Well, I hope you enjoy my next chapter (and other future updates). Thanks for the review and for the army of Spies with Cloak and Daggers. I may be deathly afraid of Spies, but I appreciate the army you sent too. ^_^_

_**Animed2Fox**- It sure was a close call. Well, if they were to find out, my series would be over. XD LOL! I would love to create an account right away and talk with you, but I'm sadly busy with other things. When I get the chance, I will get an account. Thanks for the review! **Damien**: Oh, no! No catch at all. Just find this person for me and I'll stop bothering you._

_**Avada**- Thanks for the review! **Leon**: *dodges all the knives* QUIT IT! I'M NOT BAD ANYMORE! WHY DO YOU THINK I'M NOT FIGHTING YOU ANYMORE? *cloaks and flees*_

_And now, here's the next chapter! Enjoy, everyone! :3_

* * *

Nicole paced back and forth, holding a bag of chips on a late morning. "It's a good thing that the three guys left safely last night. But now I have to worry about defeating Cassie in TF2. I might have to be a Pyro to Spy Check, but what if she's expecting me to do so? I wonder if she'll be the Sniper class next…Maybe I should be a Spy and give her a taste of her own medicine. Although, she might be expecting that as well, I might as well give that a try. Or…I could be the Heavy! Yeah! She'll never expect that!"

Suddenly, she felt her bag of chips rustling before it stopped again. "What in the world?" she looked up to see Damien suddenly next to her, chewing on something.

With a disgusted look, the TentaSpy rushed over to the sink and spat out the pre-chewed chip. "You pass _that_ off as food? That is disgusting! Why would you even think about eating that?"

Nicole blinked in surprise. "You took my chip…Why? More importantly, how did you get in here again?"

"The back door was unlocked." Damien smirked, answering only the second question.

Nicole snapped her fingers. "Aw, I thought it was through the front that time."

"As I was saying, chéri," Damien continued, "Shouldn't you be 'aving something more…delectable?"

Nicole shrugged. "I don't know about you…but barbeque-flavored chips sound pretty decent to me."

"No, no, no! Give me that!" Damien snatched the bag away from Nicole's hands and placed it on a nearby counter. "Try this." He reached into his coat pocket and plucked out something long and wiggly.

Nicole frowned. "Umm…really? That's a _live_ worm."

Damien nodded. "Oui, it is."

"And you're asking me to…eat it?" Nicole grimaced at the sight of the worm dangling and twisting around two of Damien's fingers.

"It never hurts to try."

Nicole immediately shook her head and took several steps back. "Sorry, but I don't eat things that move on their own, it kind of goes against my usual diet, b-but thanks for offering anyway. I actually prefer _gummy_ worms instead of living ones."

"Hm, more for me then." Damien smiled, slurping the worm up like a single strand of spaghetti.

Nicole winced in repulsion, feeling her stomach churn of disgust. "Ew, that's gross! Do you honestly have to do that in front of me?"

"What? I so happen to enjoy being a carnivore. I'm not entirely human, remember?" Damien chuckled, licking his lips.

Nicole shuddered. "Yeah…I completely understand." She glanced down nervously at his tentacles.

"Are you alright, squatine?" Damien asked with a concerned tone.

Nicole looked up as if startled. "Yeah, I-I'm fine."

Damien's golden eyes narrowed, focusing into hers. "You're still afraid, aren't you?"

"W-What makes you say that?" Nicole smiled sheepishly, trying to take another step away from the TentaSpy. "I-I can't move…"

"And why is that you cannot move?" Damien inquired as he inched closer.

"I'm…not quite sure. But I'm sure it'll be fine." Nicole replied, taking in a deep breath and trying to remain calm.

"Very well then, suit yourself. As I was saying, you humans have such a peculiar…diet, should I say, I can't fathom to see myself eating such strange foods."

"And why are we talking about this? I thought we got passed this point." Nicole gave Damien a confused look.

"I'm just saying, that's all. We both know that's it not really that important, right? But it's always good to know." The TentaSpy placed his arm around Nicole's waist.

"Whoa…take it easy there, Damien…" Nicole flinched at his touch. "You're getting just a bit too close to my personal space, here."

"Am I? Oh, I'm sorry, I don't mean to intrude." Damien apologized, bringing Nicole even closer to him.

Nicole turned pale. "W-W-Wait…what are you doing?"

"Shh," Damien shushed, placing a tentacle over Nicole's mouth, "Say no more. Let me take care of everything." He sneered.

Nicole whimpered as she tried to pull back, desperately trying to get away from him. But with her eyes locked into his reptile-like ones, she couldn't even move an inch.

The tentacle over her lips crept down and rested under her chin. "Now, where to start…" Damien muttered to himself.

"A-Alright, y-you're seriously starting to scare me." Nicole squeaked.

"Don't worry, ma petite squatine, I am not going to hurt you."

"That's n-not what I'm worried about…" Nicole swallowed hard as the tentacle under her chin began to snake around her neck.

"Then what are you worried about? You shouldn't be worried at all, now that I'm here. Relax, chéri, I'm 'ere to comfort you." Damien nuzzled Nicole's cheek.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! I'm really, _really_ freaking out right now!" Nicole tried to squirm out from the TentaSpy's grasp. "C-Can you let me go, please? Please?"

Damien began to purr as he licked Nicole's cheek continually, ignoring Nicole and tightening his grip on her.

"D-Damien, stop! This is starting to get extremely uncomfortable for me!" Nicole begged.

Damien's claws began to dig into Nicole's skin as he pressed his tongue against the side of her face harder than before, as if trying to get every bit of flavor.

Nicole desperately to pry herself away from the TentaSpy, pushing him with her shaky hands. "I said stop! Let go, now!"

Without warning, Damien's teeth sunk into her neck, biting down as hard as he could. Warm, oozing blood trickled down his chin.

Nicole screeched out in agony. "WHAT WAS THAT FOR?"

"Hm?" Damien blinked, immediately releasing her. "OH! I'm sorry! I wasn't aware of what I was doing! A-Are you alright?" he panicked.

"I don't…know…" Nicole winced as she covered the bite wound with a hand. "You bit me…for no reason! What's the matter with you?"

"I don't know what happened. Must have been some sort of instinct or something."

"Whatever that was…it freaking hurt!" Nicole checked her hand to see crimson blood covered all over it. "Aw, geeze…"

"Hang on, chéri! I got it! Don't move!" Damien rushed over to the nearby cabinet and grabbed a roll of bandages.

"Huh…quite convenient that you found the first-aid cabinet…" Nicole grinned weakly.

"Shush! Don't talk!" Damien rushed over to Nicole. "Let me see."

Nicole gasped. "Are you crazy?"

"I said be quiet!" Damien snapped, "I just want to see the damage. I am only trying to help. So please, relax and let me do the rest."

"But you said that last time and you were licking my face. So why should I-?"

Once again, a tentacle slithered up and covered Nicole's mouth. "Shhh, that's enough from you, my dear. I made this mess, and I shall fix it." Damien took her bloody hand and examined it. "Hm, that bad? Aww, there's nothing to worry about. I know just what to do."

Nicole whimpered as Damien tilted her head ever so slightly. She eyed him warily as he focused at her with a hungered, yet concerned look.

As he started to sing, it was as if the pain and mayhem of the situation vanished into thin air. The angelic music was sweet, comforting, and surprisingly helping her ease her grief. The unknown melody was so enchanting; Nicole did not even realize that her eyes were becoming too heavy to keep open or how still and quiet she was. She was at peace, until the beautiful song finally put her to sleep.

* * *

"Ah, bonjour, mademoiselle…or should I say good afternoon." Damien laughed as he watched Nicole wake up.

Nicole moaned as she fully opened her eyes. "You're…still here?"

"But of course, I'm still tending to your wound. Don't worry, you'll be fine." The TentaSpy explained, while hovering over Nicole and wrapping the bandage over the injury.

Nicole, lying on the tile floor in the kitchen, tried to sit up, but a tentacle around her waist gently pushed her back down. "Hey! C'mon! I want to see what time it is!"

"Relax, petite squatine," Damien rolled his golden eyes mockingly with a grin, "The time is…about three in the afternoon or so, why should you worry?"

Nicole noticed the hand with the blood on it before was completely clean, yet covered in some sort of warm, sticky saliva. "Hey, what did you do with my hand? Did you clean it or something?"

Damien shrugged, licking some blood off from his lips. "You can say that." He chuckled.

"Please tell me you didn't lick me again…did you?" Nicole grimaced, trembling a little.

"I have to admit…your blood tasted just like I remembered." Damien sneered, "So sweet and succulent…it's so hard for me to resist from having more."

Nicole swallowed hard. "Uhh…are you _absolutely sure_ you're okay, there?"

"I've never felt any better…" Damien chuckled, leaning closer to Nicole and finishing up the bandaging.

"Can you give me some space, please? I'm getting nervous again."

But the TentaSpy completely ignored her, closing his eyes and puckering his lips, readying for a kiss.

Unexpectedly, the sound of the front door opening interrupted the two. Damien's eyes opened to see who or what was coming in. Nicole tried to lift her head to see as well.

The BLU Spy was horrified to see the terrifying creature, with blood all over him, lying on top of Nicole. His chocolate eyes widened in fear. "Oh, merde…"

Damien instantly rose, still settled comfortably on top of Nicole. "Ahh, bonjour, m'sieur Jèrèmie, I was just helping the petite fille. There's nothing wrong here."

Jèrèmie blinked in shock. "You…know my name?"

Damien laughed. "It has been a long while, hasn't it? I'm sure you remember me, no?"

"I thought you promised that you wouldn't do anything with her again!" Jeremie growled, whipping out his Revolver from his coat.

"Relax, m'sieur, I did not do anything to her. I kept her as a virgin. I am a man of my word, so consider yourself lucky."

"But…there's blood all over you…and…She has a bandage around her neck!" Jèrèmie panicked, "What have you done to her?"

"Oui, I know, there has been an accident. But I've taken care of everything."

"Get away from her."

"Hm?" Damien frowned.

"Get off of her now, you imbecile!" Jèrèmie demanded rushing up to Nicole's aid.

Immediately, Damien did what he was told and stepped aside from Nicole, releasing her from his grip. "Very well, m'sieur, but try not to have a heart attack."

"Shut up, you animal!" Jèrèmie snarled, trying to help Nicole back on her feet, "You've caused enough trouble already! I want you to leave!"

Damien rolled his eyes in annoyance as he rose and straightened up to his full height. "Oh please, you think that I did this on purpose? Now, now, no need to get all fussy over an accident. It's not the way a dear gentleman like you should act."

"I SAID GET OUT OF HERE!" Jèrèmie bellowed, pointing his gun at the TentaSpy, "DON'T MAKE ME ASK YOU AGAIN, YOU VILE CREATURE!"

"As you wish, but let me say this," Damien warned with a glare, "Being overprotective over her is not the safest thing for Nicole or even you, m'sieur Jèrèmie." Without any other word, he disappeared in his invisible cloak.

Jèrèmie wrapped his arms around Nicole protectively. "A-Are you alright?"

Nicole nodded weakly. "Yeah…I'll be fine, thanks..."

"What did he do to you?" The BLU Spy insisted worryingly, grabbing her by the shoulders and pulling back.

"He…bit me, but he tried to bandage it."

"Oh dear! T-That's terrible! We have to get you to the Medic, and fast! Even if he was…'helping you', that wound still needs real medical attention!" Jèrèmie gasped as he saw the small blood spot on the bandage grow steadily. "We are wasting time!" he quickly grabbed Nicole by the wrist. "You think you can make it?"

Nicole blinked. "Uhh, I really don't know how much blood I can lose before I pass out…"

"I'll take that as a maybe!" Jèrèmie said, rushing Nicole out from the house. "Try not to let it bleed too much, chéri! I don't want to see you already passed out when we get there!"

Nicole nodded, trying to keep up with Jèrèmie. "Okay, but how are you going to get passed the RED Team?"

Jèrèmie sighed. "Let's just worry about getting there in time. I'll handle the situation."


	45. Recovery and the Visitor

_Author's Note: Sorry about the late update...again. So much stuff going on and it's now starting to get annoying that I'm frequently getting late. But here's the Anonymous Review Reply!_

_**next chapter**- Well, you're about to find out in the next chapter! :D Thanks for the review!_

_**Animed2Fox**- I'm glad you're starting to think that it's getting exciting. You're about to find out on what happens next! Thanks for the review! Damien: I don't have any fingers or tentacles crossed. *hands him a picture of some random guy* Here's the man, I want you to bring him to me so I can take care of the rest. In case you are wondering, he made fun of me before and I do not forgive him._

_And now, here's the next chapter! Enjoy, everyone! ^_^_

* * *

"Alvight," Klaus said as he nodded of satisfaction and put down the Medigun, "You are healed and ready to go."

Nicole sighed of relief as she rubbed her neck. "Thanks, Klaus, I really appreciate what you did."

The Medic grinned. "It's no trouble, fraulein. Zo tell me vhat happened to you."

"Well, Apparently, I was…" Nicole hesitated while trying to think of the right thing to say without causing Klaus to worry, "…bitten by my neighbor's dog."

Klaus frowned. "Vell zhat must have been a large dog, zhen. Ze bite mark is huge."

Nicole nodded, smiling weakly. "Yeah, I know, it's weird. But hey, it's not that big of a deal."

"At least it did not bite your jugular vein. Are you feeling drowsy or voozy, fraulein?" Klaus asked.

Nicole shrugged. "Maybe a little…" she yawned.

Immediately, Klaus handed her over a pack of crackers. "You might need zhis then."

Nicole happily took the crackers and ripped the plastic cover off. "Thanks, but I'm not really that hungry."

"I know, but I need you to replenish yourself. You lost quite a lot of blood, and eating something is the best way to recover. Trust me, I'm a doctor."

Nicole laughed. "That's an obvious one."

The two smiled at each other in the Medic's office, trying not to make their situation any more awkward than it already was. Just then, as if on cue, there was a simple knock at the door. "Ja? Come in!" Klaus called.

Reluctantly, Kyle stepped in the office. "Is the little maggot alright? I heard she got in some sort of accident."

Klaus nodded. "Ja, zhe did. But zhe's fully recovered and zhe'll be alvight."

The Soldier smiled weakly. "That's great! Thanks, Doc! If I had an extra medal with me, I'd give ya one."

Klaus chuckled. "Oh, zhat's okay, Herr Soldier, I really don't need a token or anything."

"Hm, whatever you say, Doc."

"Oh! Zhat reminds me, I forgot to do zomething. I'll be right back." Klaus said, leaving the office and closing the door.

"So, Kyle, what brings you over-" Nicole was suddenly left speechless as she saw the BLU Spy suddenly standing in the Soldier's place.

"Sh, please don't scream." Jèrèmie hushed, putting away his paper mask of the Soldier back in the disguise kit, "I don't want to attract _too_ much attention."

"I wasn't…it's just that I wasn't expecting you to come in here." Nicole smiled sheepishly, nibbling on her salty cracker.

Jèrèmie grinned. "Oh, I see. Listen, I need to talk with you for one moment."

"Wait! I have one quick question."

"Oui?"

"Where's the real Solider at?"

"I found him napping in his room, so he's fine. What's wrong? Were you afraid that I did something to him?" The BLU Spy smirked.

"Nope, I was just making sure that he was okay. So, uh, what was it you wanted to talk about?" Nicole inquired.

"It's about that TentaSpy." Jèrèmie's smile disappeared. "I'm curious to know how he got here. I thought he was living in those murky sewers of his."

"He must have snuck with you guys when all of you were teleported here or something." Nicole answered as best as she could.

"Has he been visiting you…often?" Jèrèmie questioned with a concerned look.

"Lately, he has been, but I don't know why."

"Hm, how interesting. Listen, chéri, I don't exactly…trust him. I understand that he said he would control himself, but there's something about him that I do not like."

"Is it that he's also a Spy?"

Jèrèmie shrugged as he placed a brown cigarette in his mouth. "Partially, but I'm not entirely sure exactly what it is that bothers me." He glanced over at Nicole and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Chéri, I want you to be extra cautious when he visits you. I may not know what's he up to, but I do know that he's unpredictable based on his behavior that I saw earlier today. So please, just be careful."

"I'll try, but I think he's trying really hard to be good."

"Maybe he's trying…a little too hard. There's this look in his eye that says otherwise, and I don't think that's a good sign." Jèrèmie sighed, lighting his cigarette.

"Well…I don't know. What if he learns from his mistakes or something?" Nicole suggested.

Jèrèmie gave Nicole a peculiar look. "I 'ave a feeling he won't. Just please, watch your back."

Nicole nodded in understanding. "Alright, fine…I-I'll try."

"Fraulein?" the Medic called from the other side of the door.

Quickly, Jèrèmie took out his disguise kit and grabbed the Soldier paper mask. Once he placed it on, he changed into the class once the blue smoke disappeared. "Alright, maggot, just pretend like nothing ever happened, understood?"

Nicole nodded and saluted him. "Sir, yes, sir!"

"Vhat is going on here?" Klaus asked, coming back into his office, "And vhat do you mean 'like nothing ever happened'?" he gave a suspicious look to the Soldier.

Kyle, or so whom it had appeared to be, shrugged his shoulders. "Hm? It's none of your business."

"Herr Soldier, vhat are you trying to hide?" Klaus questioned with a wary look, "Are you…feeling alvight?"

"Yes, sir, I am. Just…had some coffee, is all." 'Kyle' answered.

"I don't know, Kyle…" Klaus' eyes narrowed.

"Alright, if he won't tell you, then I will." Nicole interrupted, "You can trust me, right?"

'Kyle' glanced over at Nicole, as if surprised and shocked. "Huh?"

"Okay, fraulein, vhat is going on?" Klaus asked.

"Kyle told me that he was really, really worried about me, and he…kind was a bit soft while telling it to me." Nicole replied as best as she could.

"Really?" Klaus gave the Soldier a confused look.

'Kyle' nodded slowly. "Just don't tell it to anyone else and keep it to yourself, maggot." He growled, "I don't want everyone to think little of me. As a matter of fact, just forget this all happened."

Klaus blinked. "Uh…okay zhen, Herr Soldier, vhatever you say. Anyvay," he continued, "I vas just going to give ze fraulein one energy-booster zhot and zhe'll be good to go."

With a small sigh, Nicole rolled up her right sleeve. "Alright, do what you need to do."

'Kyle' smiled in response to Nicole's laid-back mood. "Now that's what I want to see! A good kid toughening up!"

Klaus took out a syringe from his coat pocket. "Alvight, zis von't sting for too long."

Nicole blinked in surprise. "You actually carry syringes in your coat pockets?"

"Ja, I do. It is much easier." The Medic chuckled as he poked Nicole with the needle.

"Ah! Take it easy, Klaus." Nicole flinched, watching the medicine being slowly injected.

"Vhat? I am doing ze best zhat I can, fraulein." Klaus removed the syringe just moments later. "Zhere, you'll recover quickly, fraulein."

Happily, Nicole hugged the Medic with gratitude. "Thanks again, Klaus, I appreciate it."

Klaus hugged back. "It's no problem, fraulein. It is my job, after all."

"Come on, Miss Maggot, we better let the rest of the boys know that you're okay." 'Kyle' said, heading towards the door.

Nicole nodded as she began to follow the 'Soldier'. "Alright, that'll be fine." She waved at Klaus. "Okay, Klaus, I'll see you soon."

The Medic nodded and waved back. "Anytime, fraulein, anytime. Just try not to hurt yourself before you visit me again." He teased.

Nicole grinned. "Don't worry, I'll be careful. I mean really, what can possibly go wrong?"


	46. A Song for the TentaSpy

_Author's Note: Hello, everyone! It's once again time for the Anonymous Review Reply!_

_**Animed2Fox**- Yeah. Thanks for the review! **Damien**: I'm impressed. That went faster than I thought. *takes his victim* Merci. *goes off with an evil grin* You're free to go._

_**Fred the Fish**- Yes, it does. I'm glad you liked the last chapter. Hm, you do have a point, but probably the Medic would be so busy, that he would forget. Yup. Thanks for the review! ^_^_

_**next chapter**- You're going to find out what happens next. Thanks for the review! :D_

_**Avada**- Thanks for the review! **Leon**: _Non! Stop! Leave me alone! I am sick of this fight we are in! _*is still cloaked and fleeing*_

_Oh! A little disclaimer: Song of Storms is from Legend of Zelda (for those who don't know) and belongs to Nintendo. Just thought I'd place it up here Oh! And if Damien had a theme song...it would be Song of Storms! XD Anyway, here's the next chapter!_

* * *

It was another bright and wintry morning, and Nicole was waltzing around playing on her beloved clarinet. The song she played was fast-moving and energetic. Her cat sat on the arm of the couch, watching Nicole pace back and forth around the living room. Once out of breath, Nicole stopped and lowered her instrument. "Phew, that was better than the last time I played it. I never get tired of playing it."

Sally meowed in response, curling into a ball.

Nicole smiled at her cat. "Well, I have nothing else to do. Although yesterday was pretty crazy with Damien biting me and all, but what else can go wrong?"

As if on cue, Sally stretched her front legs and jumped off from the couch, leaving Nicole alone in the room.

Nicole scowled. "Alright, fine! Be that way! Hmm…" she thought for a moment, looking down at her clarinet. "What song should I play next?"

"_You should really play that one again. It's so beautiful…I actually had no idea that you can play such a fine instrument_."

Immediately, Nicole froze in fear. "Uhh, h-h-hello?"

"_You're not hearing things, chéri, I am here. Now, what was that song called_?"

Nicole swallowed hard, clutching her instrument to her chest. "Uhh, S-Song of Storms…it's a song from game that I like, but I'm not quite sure if you'll understand…"

"_Hm, I see_…"

"W-Where are you?" Nicole demanded weakly, taking a few steps back.

"It never hurts to guess, my dear."

Nicole jumped in alarm as she felt warm breath at the back of her neck. She turned to find Damien once again in her own home. "What are you doing here again?"

"You sound so surprised. I'm here as usual, ma squatine." The TentaSpy answered with a cigarette hanging from his mouth.

"Uh, y-yeah, I can see that very clearly." Nicole smiled nervously, inching away from Damien.

But in one swift move, a tentacle grabbed Nicole, twisting around her waist. "Where do you think you're going? I just got here."

"I know. I-I-I was going to put away my clarinet and come right back." Nicole explained, trying desperately to not panic.

"Don't put it away yet. I want to hear another song. Play something for me."

"What do you want me to play?"

Damien's golden-yellow eyes were profoundly fixed on Nicole's amber ones. He smiled and exposed his sharp, glistening teeth. "Anything of your choosing, ma chéri." He answered calmly.

Nicole swallowed hard, struggling to not look into his hypnotic eyes. "B-But I can't think of anything."

"Just pick something that comes into mind. And take your time, I am in no hurry." Damien added.

Nicole took in a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down, before bringing the clarinet mouthpiece up to her quivering lips. The first note squeaked, making her jump in alarm.

But Damien's only reaction was a laugh. "That's alright, I didn't expect you to be perfect. Just continue, please."

"A-Alright…" Nicole nodded, as she tried once again to play the instrument. Fortunately, the note was of the perfect pitch and she continued on with her song. After trying to control her shaky and clammy hands, Nicole truly began her song. It was of a moderate tempo, easily recognized as a waltz. Damien hummed along, very satisfied of the song that Nicole had picked. He even closed his eyes, focusing deeply into the song. The melody continued, but Nicole already felt like she was out of breath. Her fingers started to tremble, causing the song to sound a bit off.

Damien quickly realized that Nicole was starting to trail off. He opened his eyes and gave her a concerned look. "Is something wrong, chéri?"

Finally, Nicole surrendered as she pulled the clarinet away from her and breathed heavily. "Wow…"

"Was that too much to handle?" Damien snickered, patting Nicole on her head.

Nicole flinched at his touch. "Uh, not really. I just realized…" she paused to try and think of a quick and easy answer, "…that it's been a while since I played my clarinet. 'Cause you know…school's out and all." She laughed weakly.

The TentaSpy's golden eyes narrowed as he gave her a suspicious glare. "Very likely story, ma squatine, now tell me what's really the matter. Are you…afraid of something?" he asked.

Nicole reluctantly shook her head. "Not that I-I'm aware of…"

The tentacle around Nicole's waist tugged, compelling her to come closer. "You're such a terrible liar." Damien chuckled.

Nicole felt ice-cold sweat slipping down the back of her neck. "W-What are you talking about? I-I'm clearly not showing fear of any sort." She tried to scoot away from Damien, feeling very uncomfortable.

But another one of the tentacles coiled around her chest, pulling Nicole even closer to Damien. "You've got something to tell me, my dear?"

Nicole quietly shook her head, too frightened to speak a single word.

"Go on, say it." Damien smiled, gently grabbing Nicole by the shoulders. "I'm not going to think any different of you."

"What are you doing?" Nicole asked, looking horrifically into his reptilian eyes.

"He's just about to leave. Right, m'sieur Damien?"

Damien looked up to see Jèrèmie walking up to him and Nicole leisurely, but vigilantly. "Ah, m'sieur Jèrèmie, good to see you again. You should have come here earlier, Nicole was playing such beautiful music." He sneered.

Nicole stared at the BLU Spy with begging, amber eyes. "H-Help…" she whimpered.

Jèrèmie frowned at the TentaSpy, giving him a cold glance. "Let go of her."

With a heavy groan, Damien releasing her from his grip and pulled back. "Trying to ruin the fun, aren't you?"

"What you are doing is frightening her. Don't you understand that?" Jèrèmie snapped.

"Now, now, you're overreacting. Look, she's perfectly fine." Damien insisted, gesturing towards Nicole.

Nicole instinctively cowered behind Jèrèmie and continued to shiver frantically.

Jèrèmie patted Nicole's head. "It's alright, chéri, he's not going to do anything else to you." He whispered to her before looking back at Damien. "Do you see it now? You're scaring her again. Do you call that 'fine'? You sicken me…" he scowled.

Damien sighed, creeping closer to Jèrèmie and Nicole. "I wasn't intending to frighten the poor thing. All I wanted was to hear her wonderful music." he paused, being face to face with Jèrèmie. "But you decided to show up and interrupt everything." One of the tentacles slithered up to Jèrèmie and snaked tightly around his neck. "That makes me very unhappy…" he hissed.

Jèrèmie gasped. "What is the matter with you?" he took out his Revolver as fast as he could. "Get out of here, now!"

Damien's anger quickly turned into an apologetic, yet crooked smile. "Oh, I'm sorry, am I getting a little too upset over such nonsense? My apologies, I should have behaved a little bit better." he growled through his sharp teeth as the tentacle uncoiled from Jèrèmie, "I must be going now." He adjusted his tie and brushed his left shoulder with a single hand. "Au revoir, for now…" he headed to the front door and disappeared in his cloak in seconds.

Jèrèmie quickly turned to Nicole. "A-Are you alright?" he asked worryingly.

"I'm fine…what about you?"

Jèrèmie brushed himself off. "It's nothing to worry about, chéri, I'm alright."

"What was wrong with Damien?" Nicole questioned, "Did he...try hurting you?"

"I'm not quite sure that was all about, but I do know that it was not a good sign. And didn't I tell you to be more careful?" Jèrèmie frowned at Nicole.

"I'm sorry…I didn't know what to do!" Nicole panicked, almost at the verge of tears.

Jèrèmie sighed. "It's not your fault, he was trying to seduce you…again. And to tell you the truth, I 'ad a feeling that he would come back and try to take advantage over you. Listen, if something else happens, please let me know immediately."

Nicole nodded in understanding. "O-Okay."

"Oh, and one more thing, please come tell me when you're going to play your music. I would love to come and listen." Jèrèmie smiled.

Nicole smiled sheepishly as she blushed. "Alright, will do!"

Jèrèmie nodded before going towards the door, leaving Nicole all alone in her house.


	47. A Nightmare with Damien

_Author's Note: Hello, people! It's once again time for the Anonymous Review Reply!_

_**FGDFS**- I'm very happy that you love this story! :D Really? The most popular? I'm honored! :3 I have recieved very full constructive criticism so far, but I accept any as long as it's friendly and will help me in future writing. Thanks for the review!_

_**Animed2Fox**- Yeah, I know the last chapter seemed a bit random, but it did have a purpose. Yup, now 47 chapters and still counting. LOL! A TF2 book! Awesome! ^_^ Thanks for the review! Damien: *comes back with blood all over him* I have to say that you did a wonderful job helping me. You are excused if you wish. *grins, showing blood all over his teeth*_

_**Avada**- Thanks for the review! **Leon**: Because I don't want to be caught! Hm? Song of Storms? What kind of song it that? *still cloaked*_

_And now, here's the next chapter! Enjoy, everyone! C:_

* * *

Nicole was peacefully asleep in her bed after a long day of playing 'TF2' once again. She nuzzled her pillow, wrapping her arms around it as if it was her very own cloud.

Starting waking up, Nicole scratched her nose as it began to itch. Thinking that it was ordinary, she tried to fall back asleep, but the itching continued, tickling and irritating the tip of her nose. Half-awake, she moaned and rubbed her nose one more time. "Ugh, Sally, stop swishing your tail at me."

The itching continued, tickling her nose gently. Annoyed and frustrated, Nicole grabbed the source of the irritation. "Ah ha! Got you-! Wait…What the heck?" she carefully felt the slippery texture of the 'tail'. "This…isn't Sally at all…" Nicole whimpered as the thing began twirled around her fingers. Hesitantly, she turned her head to see what was behind her.

"Bonjour…" a familiar, eerie, voice whispered in her ear.

In a split second, Nicole rolled off from her bed and crashed on to the floor. As fast as she could, she headed to the door in the dark. It was quite the miracle she held back her scream.

Without warning, the lights flashed on and Damien was standing right in front of her and the door. "Where do you think you're going, ma squatine?" he hissed.

Nicole stopped dead in her tracks. "Uhh, D-Damien, w-w-what a surprise you see you here…" she quickly checked the time on her dresser. "…at twenty minutes 'til midnight. What are you doing here so late?" she demanded, trying to keep her voice down.

Damien inched closer to her. "It was getting a little too cold for my children and I in the water, so I took the three of us here. The boys are sleeping in the bathroom, so there's nothing to worry about at all."

Nicole gulped, somewhat surprised to see him with no clothes on except for his mask and gloves. "But why are you in here? In my room?"

Damien frowned. "Do you mind if I stay?"

Nicole hesitated, blushing a light red. "Well, I…uhhh." abruptly, she darted straight for the door. However, she slipped by accident from the socks she wore and nearly tripping herself and collapsing towards Damien.

But Damien stood his ground, catching her and grabbing her by the bare shoulders with his clawed hands. "Oh, what's this? You got somewhere to go?" he sneered.

Nicole struggled desperately to pull away. "I just had the s-sudden urge to sleep on the couch. Can I go downstairs? You can take my bed! It's totally fine!" she laughed nervously.

A few jet-black tentacles seized her, wrapping themselves around her body. "I'm afraid not." Damien snarled, glaring at her threateningly.

Nicole gasped. "Please…just let me go," she begged, tearing streaming down her face.

Another tentacle reached out and grasped her chin, lifting her head towards the towering the menacing TentaSpy. "It's just for one night. Trust me, I won't do a single thing to you. You have nothing to fear. I will take very good care of you, my dear." he chuckled sinisterly.

Nicole gasped. "Stop it! You're scaring me again!"

"Am I? Why don't you relax, chéri?" Damien suggested, slightly pushing her towards the bed.

"Alright, I'll go! Just please quit shoving me!" Nicole insisted, scowling at the TentaSpy.

Damien released her from his clutches, watching her very carefully. "Proceed."

Reluctantly, Nicole walked around the bed to her side, quietly slipping under the covers and curling into a tight ball. She faced away from the TentaSpy, not wanting to make any sort of contact. She closed her eyes, hoping time will fly by as quickly as possible.

But before she knew it, she felt a snaky limb pet and twirl in her hair continually. "I had no idea you has such long, beautiful hair."

Nicole opened one eye to see darkness surrounding her once again. She slowly turned to see two bright, golden eyes staring right at her. She flinched in surprised, looking away from the reptilian eyes as quickly as she could.

Damien laughed quietly as he settled next to her. "Aren't you a bit jumpy, tonight?"

Nicole scooted away to the edge, trying to stay as far away as possible.

But a tentacle around her waist pulled her back to Damien. "Careful, chéri, I don't want you falling off, that would be terrible. The last thing I would want is you hurting yourself."

Nicole shivered vigorously, opposing the urging to jump out of bed and run out of her room. "W-Why are you doing this to me?" she croaked weakly, still turned away from Damien.

"Doing what, chéri?" Damien questioned innocently, putting his arms around her and over her chest.

Nicole flinched again. She was quite astonished that Damien's bare skin was warm and smooth to the touch, but his tentacles were ice-cold and slick. She slowly attempted to wriggle out from his arms. "N-Nothing…" she finally answered.

Damien hugged even tighter, not allowing Nicole to move. "Getting cold? Or are you so wide awake that you're having trouble falling asleep?" he asked, whispering in her ear.

Nicole squeaked. "I-I don't know anymore…"

"Hmm, well now, that's a problem that can be easily fixed." Damien said, as a tentacle slipped into Nicole's shirt and slithered up her back.

Nicole almost screamed, but she instead fought it in her. Horrified to feel suction cups press against her bare back, she bit down on her lip, restraining herself to cry or squeal in fright. The tip of the tentacle began tracing what seemed to be letters and symbols. Although she was too petrified to understand what it was, she worried that he was spelling out the phrases 'You are mine' or 'I love you' in French.

"There, you see now? Don't you feel much better, my dear?" Damien inquired, stroking Nicole's cheek with a finger.

"No…" Nicole muttered very quietly.

"Aww, you poor thing. Maybe something else could help, oui?" Damien's tentacle pulled itself out from Nicole's shirt and into her pant leg.

Instinctively, Nicole trying pulling away. "Let go…"

However, the tentacle tightened its grip, still creeping up her leg. "Why are you worrying so much, my dear squatine? You need to sleep, chéri…" Damien sighed, "Calm down, ma ami, forget all your troubles, and close your eyes." he started to sing softly.

Unlike the strange, unusual melodies that the TentaSpy sung to her, Nicole instantly recognized his song. She grew quite, listening to the lyrics.

"Frère Jacques, frère Jacques, dormez-vous? Dormez-vous? Sonnez les matines. Sonnez les matines. Din, dan, don. Din, dan, don…" Damien sung, as his tentacles started to ensnare Nicole.

As his song repeated, Nicole slowly lost her will to fight back or struggle. She laid there as the TentaSpy pulled her even closer to him until there was no space in between. She tried to keep her eyes open, but she was losing the battle. With no other choice, she closed her eyes, listening to his heavenly, mesmerizing voice until she fell to a deep, peaceful slumber.

* * *

_It seemed to be a peaceful day in New York, with cars and citizens passing by like any other normal day._

_"Well, I don't have much time! I have to see the REDs before my parents get home and yell at me." Nicole said to herself, walking casually towards the factory by the harbor. "I wonder if Jake wants to go to the park or if Bill is going to show me his progress of the U.T." Excitedly, she headed straight to the front door. "I can't wait to see what everyone's doing!" without any delay, Nicole opened the door._

_That's when Pyro collapsed right in front of her, limp and lifeless._

_Nicole screamed as she jumped back. "PYRO! WHAT'S WRONG?" she knelt beside him, checking to see if he was all right. But she discovered red splotches of blood underneath him. "No…that could only mean…" without any hesitation, she raced inside._

_Everything was shattered, broken, and destroyed. A pile of bodies laid in the center with blood all over. To make things worse, they were the remains of the RED Team. Nicole turned away from the horrid sight. "Who could have done this?" she asked herself, crying in disbelief. _

_"You have arrived just in time."_

_Nicole stopped thought for a moment of who this was. At first, she thought it was Léon, but she discovered his body in the pile. She turned to see who it really was. "Jèrèmie?"_

_The BLU Spy stood by the front door. Gradually, he advanced towards her. A certain glow was in his eyes. "It's tragic, isn't it? To lose what's so dear to you…"_

_Nicole sighed of relief. "Jèrèmie! Thank goodness you arrived! We need to find out who did this! It could have been Damien! He's gone mad, I tell you! Mad!"_

_Jèrèmie laughed cruelly. "Who is this Damien you speak of? I know nothing of him."_

_Nicole smile quickly turned to a concerned look. "Jèrèmie? Are…you okay? You're not acting like yourself…"_

_Jèrèmie sneered crookedly at her. "I've never felt any better…What about yourself? Are you feeling alright, ma cher?"_

_Nicole took several steps away from the Spy. "I'm not entirely sure anymore…but we need to find out who killed the REDs…my friends!" she reminded him._

_Jèrèmie took out his butterfly knife and unfolded it. "The murderer is among us…He is here..."_

_"What are you talking about?" Nicole demanded, "You're confusing me!" she studied his knife, seeing a fresh coat of blood on it. Her eyes widened in terror. "T-That's impossible! Y-You can't be…"_

_"Oh, but it is true…I am the murderer." _

_Nicole shook her head. "No…it's not possible! I don't believe you!" She backed away from Jèrèmie until she hit a wall._

_Finally, Jèrèmie was face to face with her, raising his knife. "Isn't obvious, chéri? You don't understand what I am doing…Here, let me explain." he placed the knife up to her throat._

_"What are you doing?" Nicole demanded, attempting to push herself away. But the knife slit the side of her face, causing her to stop. She gasped in pain as her blood oozed out from her cheek._

_"I…betray for a living. I…live to betray. It is a Spy's true desire. It is his destiny. Do you understand? I have been waiting for this moment for a long time. I never really was on your side." Jèrèmie growled, pinning her against the wall with his free hand._

_Whimpering in fright, Nicole turned away from him. "I don't know you anymore."_

_"That's a Spy's talent, to pretend to be something they're not. That's all I ever do, chéri. The only thing I love is to see the real fear in my victims right before I strike. Now, promise not to bleed on my suit and I'll kill you quickly."_

_"No…No! NO!" With adrenalin rushing in her veins, Nicole shoved the BLU Spy away and dashed for the exit._

_"I'm going to gut you like a Cornish game hen!" Jèrèmie called, chasing after her._

_Busting out from the factory and into the dark streets of the night-filled city, Nicole dashed off, resisting to look back even once. Tears dripped down her face, her heart hammered in her chest, blood streaming down from her cut. Finding a stairway to what seemed to be a subway, she headed downstairs, hoping to throw off her pursuer. _

_"I'm coming for you!" _

_Nicole ran deeper in the subway path. She remained quiet, silently praying that he wouldn't find her._

_"Hmph! Very well, I'll wait by the entrance. It's too risky for me to be chasing you in this hideous place. You may have picked a good hiding place, but it won't keep you very safe for long. I'LL BE SEEING YOU!" Jèrèmie's voice died away._

_Nicole stopped, looking back to see if he was really gone. "That was too close…" she panted, shivering violently._

_"Hey, it's a girl! A girl!" a tiny, childish voice squealed._

_Nicole blinked in surprise. "Who's there?" she glanced around to find where the voice came from._

_"You're right! It is a girl!" A second, small voice giggled._

_Looking down, Nicole spotted two crabs by her feet. She smiled weakly. "Aww, you guys are cute."_

_The two crabs looked up at her with beady eyes. "Hi-ya! Are you lost, girl?" the black crab asked._

_Nicole frowned. "Did you say something?"_

_The white crab laughed, clicking his pinchers. "We sure did. We're Spy Crabs!"_

_"Huh…makes sense to me, I guess..." Nicole frowned, shrugging a bit._

_The black Spy Crab turned to the other. "Should we tell Master about this?" he asked._

_"How about we bring her to Master instead?" the white Spy Crab insisted, "I'm sure he'll be pleased to have a guest. Maybe he can even help her."_

_"Who are you guys talking about?" Nicole asked in confusion._

_"Our master," the black crab answered, "He's lives here and is very smart. I'm sure he'll love to help you."_

_"Yeah! Yeah!" the white crab agreed, "Our master loves company. Would you like to come with us?"_

_"Well, I really I don't have any other choice…" Nicole nodded, looking back one last time._

_The Spy Crabs squeaked of delight and jumped up and down. "Oh goodie! Master will absolutely adore you!" the white crab skidded away happily._

_The black crab chased after his partner. "This way! This way!" he called to Nicole._

_Reluctantly, Nicole followed the crabs and tried not to step on them. "This is beginning to make no sense at all…" she muttered. _

_While following the excited crabs, Nicole noticed the pathway becoming less like a subway and more like the sewers of the Fortress. Water dripped from the sewers, the path itself was flooded with lukewarm water up to Nicole's knees, and the smell of rotting corpses filled her nostrils. "Uhh, I'm not so sure about this anymore." She said as she got up on one of the concrete sidewalks._

_"It's alright, Master won't harm you at all." the black crab assured, "He is a kind and helpful one."_

_"That's right!" The white crab added, "In fact, Master never had any females visit his lair. So he'll be very pleased to see you."_

_"Umm…A-Alright…" Nicole sighed, continuing to follow, "Whatever you say."_

_From a distance, Nicole found a low, light shining. "Hey, guys, what's that?"_

_There was no response. The only sounds to be heard were the drips of water._

_"Spy Crabs? Hello?" Nicole looked down, only to find noting by her. "What's going on?"_

_"Well, well, well, what is this that I see? A guest? Hmm, how wonderful…" a third, peculiar voice chuckled._

_Nicole's heart skipped an entire beat. "H-Hello?" she stopped to a dead end, only to stand by the edge of a pool and a large pipeline three feet above the pool. A single ceiling light dimly lit the whole area._

_"Come closer, chéri, I promise I won't hurt you." two golden eyes stared at her from the pipeline at the other side._

_Nicole instantly froze, too nervous to say anything._

_"My, aren't you shy. Is there something wrong, ma cher?"_

_Nicole remained silent. _

_"You know, ma squatine, it's very rude to just stand there and say nothing. But since you did not know, I'll let it slide just this once." inky-black tentacles crept out from the large pipes._

_Nicole recoiled, stepping far from the pool as possible. "Oh shit...this can't be good..."_

_A large, shadowy mass jumped into the pool and swam right towards her. The glowing eyes still focusing on her._

_Nicole tried taking one more step, but a long, slippery limb snagged her right leg. "Hey! D-Damien?"_

_"Ah, so you do know who I am. How very convenient indeed." the TentaSpy rose from the murky water and stood in front of the girl. "I suppose that no introduction is needed. Excellent."_

_"W-What are you doing here?" Nicole demanded._

_"The real question is what are _you_ doing here?" Damien asked, placing a lit cigarette in his mouth, "Why have you come to me?"_

_Nicole shrugged. "I dunno, to be honest. You see, these crabs lead me here and I was-"_

_"Wait! Don't tell me." Damien was in eye-level with her, staring intensely at the amber eyes. "You're here because you've been betrayed by someone very close to your heart, and you have nowhere else to run or hide. You are alone, lost…and confused. You unfortunate creature, I take pity on you."_

_"How…did you know about that?"_

_Damien laughed, patting Nicole on the head. "I am a Spy, these things come very natural to me. Now, what can I do to help?"_

_"Really, I honestly don't know. I'm about to have my head explode very soon. So it's okay, I guess…" Nicole smiled uncomfortably. _

_Damien placed an arm around Nicole's shoulders. "No! I insist. My servants told me you are in great need, and I can't turn a sweet petite fille down, can I? Now, was it Jèrèmie that betrayed you and attempted to kill you?"_

_"Alright, I think you know a little too much…" Nicole grimaced._

_"Ah ha! So it was him. I knew it! He thinks he could get away with such terrible crimes! It's too bad you cared for him, he was…how should I say this? A very good catch, indeed. I will not allow this at all while I'm here!"_

_"So…what are you going to do about it?"_

_Damien thought for a moment. "You love him, don't you?"_

_"WHAT?" Nicole gasped, "I never told you anything like that! He was a very good friend of mine! Why ask?"_

_"What would you say if I…brought him back to his normal, good self…like the way you used to know?"_

_Nicole stared at Damien with a confused look. "Can you actually do that? You're actually serious? I'm not sure if that's even possible..."_

_Damien sneered, revealing exceedingly sharp teeth. "My sweet child, that's what I'll do, it's the least I can do, as a matter of fact. I'm very happy to help dear friends who are in desperate need, like you." he gently grasped her chin with his clawed hand and looked deep into her amber eyes. "You poor, poor misfortunate soul, I understand that you need me more than anyone. Please let me assist you."_

_"Should I pay you or something?" Nicole asked, feeling an uncomfortable stomach churning, "Look, I'm sorry to say that I don't have much-"_

_"Hush." Damien shushed, placing a finger over her lips, "That will not be necessary. It is true that there is no such thing as a free trade, but I'll make this very simple for you. I am asking only one thing." he pulled Nicole closer to him, "What I desire, chéri, is…your love." he whispered directly in her ear._

_"…Excuse me?" Nicole's right eye twitched._

_"That's right, I am in need of the perfect mate, and you fit all of my standards. So, if you stay with me and be my loved one, I shall make sure that your precious Jèrèmie is back to normal. Do we have an agreement?" he held out his hand, offering the handshake._

_Nicole shook her head. "No! Can't you see that I'm way too young for you, creep? Besides, I would rather be dead rather than be with a lying, deceiving freak like you!" she growled._

_A tentacle coiled over Nicole's mouth, silencing her immediately. "Wrong choice!" Damien snapped, "You shall be mine forever! Or…would you like a third choice?" he physically moved Nicole's head towards a pile of blood stained skulls and bones. "I would love to make a good meal out of you or keep you until dessert, chéri."_

_Nicole whimpered, squirming from Damien's tight grip and panicking._

_"Decisions, decisions…What ever should I do with you? Should I keep you as my mate? But…you do rather look absolutely delicious." Damien smiled, licking the dried blood off from Nicole's cheek. "Mmmm, you are very tasty. I like that…" he laughed, creeping back into the water, dragging Nicole with him by pushing on her shoulders._

_Nicole struggled to fight back, but the weight under her forced her to succumb and lower to a kneeling position. As she began to slip and sink into the pool, she clung onto the edge with all her might, hoping to pull herself away from the monster._

_"Why are you being so hesitant, ma squatine? Love is a beautiful thing. I'm sure that you'll love the way I do things." Another one of Damien's tentacle snaked around her waist and tugged._

_Nicole scrambled helplessly at the edge of the pool. She muffled of what seemed to be defiance._

_"Too bad, so sad…Quit whining and come with me!"_

_Nicole felt the weight beneath her drag her down deeper, until she had no strength to continue to fight. She sunk down into the depths, trapped in a net of writhing tentacles._

_"You're such a poor soul, you belong to me now…and for all eternity." Damien's voice whispered sinisterly, taking his new mate to everlasting darkness…_

* * *

Nicole's eyes flew open as sweat dropped from her eyebrows. "That was completely horrifying." she tried to move, but was pinned down to the bed. "What in the world?"

Lying right on top of her was Damien, sleeping peacefully with his tentacles wrapped all over her. As he snuggled with her, he purred loudly.

"Great…I'm stuck. Now what?" Nicole murmured, trying to inch away from the TentaSpy as carefully as possible. She froze as one tentacle wiggled from inside her pants. "Eww! Gross!" she whimpered.

"Ahem…"

Nicole looked up to see Damien's reptilian eyes looking back at her. "Uhh, g-good morning." she smiled weakly, desperately trying to show no signs of fears or worries.

"And good morning to you, ma petite squatine." Damien smiled back, stroking Nicole's head. "Did you have a good rest?"

Nicole instantly frowned. "I'm not too sure to be honest..."

"No matter, I thought it went very well." Damien scooted off from her and sat up. "I just hope the boys are alright…"

"Yeah…me too." Nicole nodded slowly, pulling the covers over her head.

"I better take the children and head back…I'll see you really soon." Damien said, as a tentacle went up between her legs and patted, rubbing gently around the area.

Nicole squeaked and jumped, curling into a tight ball again.

Damien chuckled as slipped out from the bed and he took his suit that was hanging on the bookshelf before vanishing into thin air.

Nicole rolled out from her bed, crashing onto the floor. She gradually crawled to the door, still feeling sick to her stomach. "Damn it! If there is anything I need, it's a long freakin' show…" She slumped on the floor, rocking back and forth in a curled position.

There was a knock at the door. "Chéri? Are you in there?" a gentle, familiar voice called.

Nicole gasped, backing away from the door. "Huh? What?"

"It's me…Jèrèmie. I just want to make sure that you are okay." the BLU Spy entered the room.

Nicole whimpered and backed away. "D-Don't hurt me…"

Jèrèmie frowned. "What's wrong? What happened?"

"Don't kill me, please…"

"What are you going on about?" Jèrèmie asked, confused of Nicole's strange behavior. He knelt down beside her, staring at her with worried expression. "Did something happen last night?"

"I-I don't want to be betrayed!" Nicole jumped up and ran away from Jèrèmie, sprinting right to the closet doors and slammed them behind her.

"Chéri! Wait!" Jèrèmie chased after her. "Why are you suddenly afraid of me?"

Nicole quickly leaned against the doors from the other side, trying to keep the Spy out. "Leave me alone!"

"Nicole! Tell me what is wrong! Was it something I did?" Jèrèmie questioned, standing at the other side of the closet doors.

"Just go away!" Nicole sobbed, "I want to be left alone! Don't hurt me! Please don't betray me…I want things to make sense again!"

Jèrèmie sighed, stepping away from the doors. "Damien…he must have done something to her." he looked back. "Chéri…I'll visit you another time."

There was not a single response.

"Alright…au revoir." Jèrèmie made his way out of the room and down the stairs, wondering what had truly caused Nicole to panic.


	48. Meet the Rival

_Author's Note: It's time for the Anonymous Review Reply!_

_**Animed2Fox**- Really? See? Spies are scary! 0_0 Thanks for the review! **Damien**: Ha! Those cops aren't going to help you very much. Technically, I don't exist here. *smiles as he cloaks and disappears*_

_**next chapter**- Well, I can't give away too much at this moment, but I'll be able to tell you this: Nicole had a nightmare were Jeremie tried to kill her, so now she's scared that it will happen in real life. She knows that Spies have to decieve and everything, so that just makes things much worse. Damien's not really doing anything yet. Hopefully, this helped, and more of your questions will be answered in future chapters. Thanks for the review!_

_**Dickhead**- Well, I have to give you credit for being honest. I understand the mistakes I have made, but none of us are perfect, right? Alright, I'll go ahead and improve myself and fix my mistakes once I completely finish this story. I do see that you are serious with the points you have made. Thanks for the review and the advice, I'll go look into them as soon as I can._

_And now, here's the next chapter! Enjoy, everyone!_

* * *

Nicole and Cassie walked side by side on the sidewalk, carrying an arm-full of books. "Thanks for coming with me to pick out some books." Nicole smiled at her friend.

"It's no problem," Cassie grinned back. "You know how much I love going to the public library with you. But why did you pick like a ton of Stephen King books?" she asked.

Nicole's shoulders shrugged. "Don't know…maybe it's because he's an awesome author?" she giggled.

Cassie rolled her eyes. "You're so weird, picking a bunch of horror stories. As for me, I decided to go with Sci-Fi awesomeness!"

"You're such a nerd!" Nicole teased.

"You're such a…uh, weirdo." Cassie teased back.

Nicole laughed, unaware of where she was going. Without warning, she bumped into someone. "Oh, man, I'm sorry about that. I didn't mean to-"

"Watch where you're going, idiot! What are you, blind or something or do you think you own the whole sidewalk?" an angry, feminine voice snapped.

Nicole looked up to see her long-time rival. "Trisha, I should have known that you would be slithering out of your hole. I thought you were hibernating for the winter." she growled.

Trisha Jezbell rolled her bright, blue eyes as she brushed her red sweater and long, green skirt. "Hmph, well excuse me that I'm having a better time off than you are. And I suppose you are being a shut in, playing your stupid video games and reading crappy books." she pushed back her lengthy, dirty-blonde hair.

"Hey, shut up, blondie!" Cassie hissed, "Don't make me throw a book at you, Jezbell!"

"Oh, yeah, really scary, Clark." Trisha scoffed.

"You're a waste of a life form, Trisha, and we all know it. You think you can just pick my friend and I throughout all our school life. Just because you're cheerleader captain, doesn't mean you have the authority to do whatever you want."

"You're not getting it, are you, Anderson?" Trisha smirked, "Being cheerleader captain is like having the world in your hands. I'm super popular and _everyone_ loves me. You two are a bunch of nobodies with no life of your own. I bet you two won't make it to the beginning of your senior year. How lame is that?"

"Oh, please, you don't even have real friends. You just have a bunch of brainwashed Chihuahuas on leashes!" Nicole insulted, "So you should be the one who doesn't really have anything."

"At least I have a way higher status than you do, band geek!" Trisha said, walking passed the two, "I'll see you two losers in a few weeks…Actually, I don't want to see you freaks at all."

Nicole snorted. "What a snotty, little brat." she turned to her rival. "ONE DAY, I'M GOING TO GUT YOU LIKE A CORNISH GAME HEN!" she yelled abruptly.

Trisha looked back. "Excuse me?"

"YEAH! THAT'S RIGHT! YOU HEARD ME! AND WHEN I DO, NOBODY'S GOING TO MISS YOU, WANKER!"

Cassie remained silent, shocked to hear Nicole shout and ranted furiously.

"AND YOU WANT TO KNOW SOMETHING ELSE? YOU FREAKIN' SUCK ON ICE!" Nicole added.

Trisha only glared. "You see? That's why you don't have many friends, Anderson. It's because you are nothing but nonsense." she continued to walk away, holding her head up high.

Nicole snarled. "One of these days, I'll show her a thing or two about real manners!" she stormed down the sidewalk. "She will pay for all the crimes that she has committed against us!"

"Wait for me, buddy!" Cassie trotted after Nicole. "Did you hear yourself?"

"Yeah, what of it?" Nicole questioned with a low growl.

"You were…freaking incredible! You said those perfectly well! Kudos to you, my friend, for quoting the Spy, Sniper, and Scout all at once." Cassie cheered.

Nicole sighed, smiling weakly. "Maybe I did get a little carried away…" she glanced at her red-headed friend. "Look, Cassie, I'm going to need some time alone today, is that okay with you?"

Cassie nodded in understanding. "Sure, it's no problem, Nicole. Just call me whenever you want."

Nicole shrugged her shoulders. "Yeah, whatever…" she headed towards her house. "Later, Cassie…"

"Bye, Nicole…" Cassie nodded as she walked away, balancing the books in her arms.

Carefully opening the door with elbow, Nicole entered the house, mumbling angrily to herself. Once she reached the living room, she placed the books on the table. "Stupid Trisha…" she hissed, throwing her black cap on the floor, "I wish she would go live in a cave or something and live a miserable life!" she slumped on the couch, tightening her fists. "I hate her! I hate her guts! I hate everything about her! I wish she would-!" she jumped in alarm as she felt her cap suddenly fall right on her head. "What the-?" she stood up to see who or what was around.

But she felt gloved, clawed hands press down against her shoulders, forcing her to sit back down again. "No! You need to settle down, squatine…"

Nicole froze instantly, becoming tense and anxious. "D-Damien?"

The TentaSpy chuckled darkly as he gently massaged her shoulders. "My, my, you're getting good at guessing." He teased.

"Why…are you here?" Nicole questioned as her shoulders began to relax upon his touch.

"Same as always, my dear, I just wanted to see you. Now, tell me what the matter is." Damien said, rubbing Nicole's neck.

Nicole hesitated as she felt the hairs on the back of her neck straighten. "Um, n-nothing…"

"When are you going to stop lying to me, ma ami? Don't think I didn't see that little temper tantrum of yours." Damien smiled while his hands worked their way down back to her shoulders.

Nicole swallowed hard, taking in a breath. "Alright, there's this…girl that I saw just a minute ago…"

"Mm-hm." Damien nodded in response, still rubbing down the shoulders.

"And she's really mean to my friend and I, you know?" Nicole continued, nervously, "I've hated her for years now. It's no big deal or anything, it's just that we've been rivals for a long time."

"Hm, I had no idea that you had a rival. How very interesting…"

"Why are you so interested about this all of a sudden?" Nicole questioned.

Damien pulled his hands back, thinking for a moment. "Could you…do me a favor?" he asked.

Nicole gave the TentaSpy a suspicious look. "What?"

Damien came around the couch, sitting right next to Nicole. "Can you rub my tentacles for me? I've been…wandering around all day and they are very sore. You don't mind, do you?"

Horrified, Nicole inched away to the other side. "Uhh, I just realized that I had something…VERY important to do…and I uh-!" she was immediately silenced as a tentacle coiled around her ankle and tugged her closer to him.

"Please? I would be very delighted if you did. Besides, I massaged you, so I think it should be fair to…return the favor." Damien sneered, putting a tentacle up in Nicole's face.

Nicole whimpered at the sight of the tentacle waving right in her face. Hesitantly, she grabbed it with both hands, terrified to find it covered with slime. "Eww! What the heck is this?"

Damien laughed of what seemed to be of embarrassment. "Oh dear, that tends to happen when I'm out of water for too long. The slime helps the tentacles keep as moist as possible." He explained.

With a churning stomach and clammy, slime-covered hands, Nicole carefully rubbed the first tentacle. "Yeah…that _really_ makes sense."

"So, tell me more about this…rival of yours." Damien insisted, lying back on the couch in a relaxed position, "What is she like? What's her name?"

"Uhh, her name is T-Trisha…and she thinks she's all that…you know?" Nicole answered shyly, "And she's one of the meanest, nastiest people I've met. We've hated each other for what seems to be forever now."

"Ah, I see." Damien nodded in understanding. He pulled back the tentacle from Nicole's shaking hands and held up another to her. "Why doesn't she like you?"

"W-Well, she wants to make me jealous or something. But really, I don't understand what her real problem is." Nicole continued, uncomfortably messaging the second tentacle.

"Sounds like Trisha is a…strange creature." Damien chuckled.

Nicole gave Damien a peculiar look. "Yeah…sure…"

There was an awkward silence as Nicole continued to rub different tentacles. As each one switched, there was always at least one tentacle coiled around her leg just so that she would stay put. The minutes seemed to stretch on forever. While Nicole was whimpering quietly and trembling violently again with both arms completely covered in sticky slime, Damien was calm, purring happily and making himself comfortable on the couch.

"Alright…I massaged all eight of them." Nicole moaned, finally putting her soggy hands down.

Damien blinked. "Hm? Ah, merci." He pulled his tentacles back from her and sat up. "That feels much better."

"…Yeah, okay…you're welcome…" Nicole nodded.

"Very well then, I shall be on my way, since I still have children to attend to." Damien said, standing up and beginning to head towards the front door. "I'll drop by for another visit."

Without thinking, Nicole nodded. "Okay…sure…"

Damien smiled as he vanished in his invisible cloak. "_I have something planned for you. I'm sure you'll love it._" The door opened, and then closed on its 'own'.

Nicole sighed as she fell back on the couch. "Oh boy…I can't wait to see what it is…" she said with a slight hint of sarcasm. She looked at her sticky arms with disgust. "That was the second worst thing I had to do…I will go wash my arms fifty times or more and take a quick shower. Besides, I've got something wonderful to do…" she smiled weakly, yet wickedly as she thought up of a brilliant plan.


	49. Burning Memories

_Author's Note: Hello, everyone! It's the Anonymous Review Reply!_

_**What plan**- Those are all really good questions. I'll answer them: You're about to see Nicole's plan in this chapter and Damien's plan in another. Trisha's mean just because she is full of pride. Thanks for the review!_

_**Animed2Fox**- Thanks, I'm glad you liked it. In the third story, you and a bunch of other characters are going to be in a video-game convention meeting the RED Team (and BLU Spy). That's how I plan to do it at that point. I can't give that many details yet, but I'm sure you'll like it. ^_^ Thanks for the review! Damien: *still cloaked* _You silly human, you think I would want you anymore? Ha! I have more important things to finish.

_**Dickhead**- Thanks. I plan on editing this as soon as I am done with this story (as I already said) and develop my skills on future stories. So I thank you for your advice and the review._

_**Herr E**- Small chapters? Hm, well, some are kind of short compared with other chapters I have, but I think they are fine. And slow updates? I update weekly, and I think that's fine too (although I can be late sometimes). Thanks for the review._

_And now to make my announcement: I will be trying to update **TWICE** a week from now on. Since I am almost done posting chapters with little time on my hands, I have decided to update more frequently starting now. _

_But anyway, here's the next chapter! Enjoy! :D_

* * *

"So…heavy…I don't think I can take another step carrying this…" Nicole panted as she carried a cardboard box filled with pictures, yearbooks, and letters. "Who knew that seven years of collecting this stuff would be so freaking heavy…" she was almost at the entrance to the factory.

Suddenly, without any warning, Pyro came bursting out from the door and rushing over to see Nicole. He muffled happily and hugged her.

Nicole giggled. "Hey, Pyro! How you've been doing?"

Pyro jumped up and down, mumbling his answer.

"Well, I'm happy to see you doing well. Actually, you're just the man I was looking for!"

Pyro tilted his head to one side, inquiring her to explain.

"Ah, well you see, I have all these pictures and letters in this box, right? The pictures are of this girl that I really hate. I even saved some of the threatening letters she used to hand out to me."

Pyro scratched the back of his mask and muffled a question.

"I knew you would ask. I have been saving these since fifth grade, so that I may…dispose of them 'properly' one day. But now, since you're here, I have the best way to rid of them once and for all."

Pyro took out his flamethrower and chuckled evilly.

"That's right, Pyro! We're going to burn these!" Nicole laughed, "Let's go do this out back so that none of the average citizens would see us and give us funny looks."

Pyro nodded and ran back to the factory, urging Nicole to follow him.

"Hang on, buddy! I'm coming! I'm coming! Wait for me, Pyro!" Nicole said, carrying the box as best as she could.

The two scurried around the factory and out to the back at the dock. It was simple, a nice wooden dock peering over the river and out of most human eyes. They knew that it was the perfect place for burning unwanted memories.

Nicole placed the box right in the middle of the dock. "Okay, Pyro, let it burn to the ground!"

Pyro laughed maniacally as he raised his flamethrower and pointed the weapon at the box. Flames spewed out from the cylinder, instantly warming the area around them. The box quickly caught on fire as papers and pictures shriveled up and blackened. Sparks flew everywhere and box was turning into ashes. Both Nicole and Pyro watched with in awe as the flames continued to consume the target.

"This…is…awesome." Nicole smiled, snickering a little.

Pyro nodded in agreement, muffling something unclearly as usual.

"I just wish you could actually to this to my rival for real. Although we would both get in trouble, it'll be worth it. I mean, she doesn't even deserve to live. But…" Nicole sighed, "I just know I'll never see her again once I'm out of high school."

Pyro mumbled flatly, still facing the fire and its bright orange glow.

"Don't worry about it, Pyro, let's just enjoy this moment and make it last." Nicole said, patting the pyromaniac on the back.

Pyro set aside his flamethrower and took out his axe, hacking at what was left of the box and its burnt papers. Chuckling darkly, he swung at the remains repeatedly.

"Wow…this is more than I bargained for." Nicole watched, slightly worried about Pyro's behavior. "I just hope that no one is looking."

Pyro looked over at Nicole, muffled something at her, and continued chopping at the ashes and leftover cardboard.

"Alright then…if you're confident about yourself, then I'm not stopping you at all. You just go ahead and keep chopping away, my friend."

Pyro only kept hacking at ashes and cardboard, mumbling and giggling of excitement. Finally, he stopped and lowered his axe. He looked over at Nicole and muffled.

"Ah, you're done? That's great! Let's leave whatever's left for now and we'll clean it up later, okay?" Nicole suggested.

The Pyro nodded in understanding. He muffled as he gave her a thumbs up.

"Oi! G'Day, Shelia and Pyro!"

The two looked over to see Benny coming up from behind. "Hey, Benny! How's it going?" Nicole smiled.

The Sniper grinned. "Eh, it's not too bad, mate." He examined the pile of ashes and cardboard. "I see Pyro had a bit of fun there…" he chuckled.

"Yeah, we were just burning some stuff, nothing big." Nicole explained.

Pyro nodded and mumbled at the Sniper.

"Ah, gettin' rid of bad memories, eh, Shelia?" Benny asked.

Nicole looked back and forth between the Sniper and Pyro. "How do you know what he's saying exactly?"

Benny shrugged. "Well, uh, too tell ya the truth, none of us really know what he's _exactly_ saying. But if you listen carefully enough, you can get the main idea. It's not too hard to pick it up."

"Ah, I guess that does make sense. Maybe it does explain why I'm beginning to understand the Pyro a bit better." Nicole smiled, looking at the Pyro doing an air-guitar on his axe.

"There ya go, I told ya. It's not that hard to understand Pyro…"

Pyro hoisted his axe in the air, muffling up a crazed laugh.

Benny frowned. "…Well, most of the time you can understand him."

"ALRIGHT, MAGGOTS, WHAT IS GOING ON, HERE?" Kyle shouted, coming out from the back door.

Benny looked up at the Soldier. "What's the big deal, mate? We're just talkin' with Shelia here." He gestured towards Nicole.

Nicole smiled weakly and waved at Kyle. "Hey, Kyle, what's up?"

Kyle grunted. "Hi, little maggot." He turned back to Benny. "Look, I thought I saw something burning and I just wanted to know where-!" he glanced over the Pyro. "Oh, you were the cause, weren't you?"

Pyro nodded and muffled at the Soldier.

"I see…Well, try not to burn the place, you fiery maggot."

Pyro nodded again and raced back into the factory, cheering and giggling.

Kyle sighed as shook his head. "There's got to be some way to teach that Pyro about _normal_ behaviors…"

"Keep dreaming, mate." Benny snickered, "That's not gonna bloody happen anytime soon."

Kyle moaned as he went back in the factory. "I'll be getting coffee…and there better be nobody bothering me."

Benny sighed and looked over at Nicole. "I have to get going as well, Shelia, I promised Klaus that I would help run a few errands with him."

Nicole nodded. "Alright, that's cool. So, uh, I guess I'll see you around."

Benny grinned and nodded back. "See ya, mate." He rubbed her head before heading inside the factory as well.

Nicole stood alone on the dock, looking quietly at the ash pile. She shook her head as she caught the scent of cigarette smoke instead of the smell of burnt papers.

"Psst. Over here."

Nicole looked over to see Léon leaning against the wall behind her. "Oh, hey, what's up?"

The Spy shrugged his shoulders. "Nothing much, just…attending to business as usual."

Nicole gave Léon a peculiar look. "By spying on me for a little bit?"

Léon chuckled lightly. "Maybe so. So, you were trying to get rid of some bad memories, oui?" he questioned.

"Yeah, I know it's not the best way…but it worked, right?" Nicole smiled sheepishly as she pointed over at the ash pile. "Plus, I thought it was really fun."

"True, it did work. But I have a far better solution than just burning things to the ground like." Léon proposed.

"And that would be?"

"…Don't keep them at all in the first place."

Nicole blinked. "What?"

Léon sighed. "Chéri, why would you want to keep such horrible memories to yourself? It's a bad habit."

"But…I wanted to destroy them, and burning them with the Pyro was the best timing." Nicole tried to explain.

"Oui, I know, but you shouldn't just keep them stored in a closet or shelf. It would only come back to haunt you again." Léon grimaced, putting a hand up to his chest.

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Because, ma cher, the way that I keep the photo of my old 'petite chou-fleur' and I sometimes hurts me in a way. Just thinking about her makes me feel that I will never see her again. And…I don't want you to suffer like I am."

"But…I hate my rival." Nicole corrected.

"What I am trying to say is that you shouldn't think back to bad memories, it is unhealthy and can ruin you at any given time. So please don't keep anything that will remind you of such…garbage, should I say." Léon rephrased.

Nicole couldn't help but smile. "Aww, I didn't know you cared, Léon. You're saying the same thing at least three times or so. That's…very nice."

Léon grinned back. "I know, chéri, I just think that it's very important."

Nicole giggled and hugged the Spy. "Thanks, Léon!"

Léon wrapped his arms around her comfortingly. "Anytime, ma chéri."

Nicole shivered a little bit. "Well, I got to get going. I can't stay out for too long, you know." She smiled weakly.

The Spy nodded in understanding. "I see. Well, I'll see you again, petite chou-fleur."

"Yeah, I'll see you around, Léon." Nicole said, heading back in the factory without looking back.


	50. Fears and Confessions

_Author's Note: Hello! It's once again the Anonymous Review Reply!_

_**Animed2Fox**- YES! BURN IT TO THE GROUND! XD Thanks! Yup, a game convention. It was the only thing I could think of that would be appropriate to include a bunch of cameos and such. Well, actually, you're already at the convention with everyone else. That was my plan, anyway. I want it to be realistic as possible. Thanks for the review! Damien: *Still cloaked* _No, I think you are mistaken.

_Anyway, here's the next chapter! I hope you all enjoy! ^_^_

* * *

Nicole opened the front door of the house that noon. "Phew, there's nothing like a good day of burning things to the ground." She said to herself as she turned around and closed the door behind her. "At least everything else will be right as it should-!" She gasped as she faced forward back again, only to find Damien hanging upside down from the ceiling.

The TentaSpy was face-to-face with Nicole, sticking on the ceiling with several of his jet-black tentacles. He crossed his arms and smiled at her. "Ah, bonjour, ma ami, did you 'ave a good time out?"

Nicole remained frozen, locking her eyes with his golden ones. "D-Damien? You're still here?"

Damien nodded. "But of course, ma squatine, I have been waiting patiently for your return."

Nicole tried to back away, but ending up bumping against the door. "I thought you dropped off your kids."

"I did, but I came right back. We have some unfinished business to attend to." Damien explained with a smirk. Two tentacles that dangled almost lifelessly reached out towards Nicole.

Nicole pressed herself against the door, trying to resist from the tentacles coming up at her and coiling around her shoulders. "No…please!"

Damien smile grew as he snagged Nicole. "Ah, what is this? Is it…fear that I see?" he chuckled as he pulled Nicole closer to him.

Nicole whimpered as she was dragged towards the hanging TentaSpy. "N-No…it's not."

"You're lying to me again, my dear, you know how much I hate it when you lie." Damien frowned as he glared at her.

Nicole trembled in fright. "D-Don't give me t-that look, Damien! Just let go of me." She demanded, trying to struggle free.

"Tell me what's bothering you and…I may consider releasing you." Damien sneered.

"I don't want to. I have chores to do and I'm not going to delay any further!" Nicole managed to pull free and jumped back.

"I already had taken care of these simple little chores." Damien added.

"What about the dishes?" Nicole questioned.

Damien nodded. "Oui."

"Dusting?"

"Yes."

"Organizing my room?"

Damien nodded again.

"…Yeah, I'll just stop there…" Nicole grimaced, running away and towards the stairs.

Damien growled as he vanished in his cloak. "_Running won't save you, chéri. I'm coming after you!_"

Nicole continued to scramble up the stairs. "Leave me alone!" she stopped to see Damien reappear and climbing on the railings.

"Come here, my dear, and tell me what's wrong." Damien insisted, inching closer to Nicole.

But Nicole rushed passed him, running as fast as she could. "NO! JUST LET ME BE!" she leapt into her room and slammed the door behind her. She panted heavily as she leaned against the door. "That was close…" She pressed her ear against the door, listening carefully for any signs of the TentaSpy approaching.

But there was silence, the uncanny, disturbing silence that made Nicole shudder. "Eesh, maybe I should check if he's still even out there…" she said to herself, quietly and carefully opening the door. She looked left and right, only to find an empty hallway. She nodded and closed the door. "Huh, I wonder where he-" she turned around and shrieked as she saw Damien right in front of her. "HOLY SH-!"

"Where do you think you're going? And why are you trying to run from me?" Damien asked, snatching Nicole with a few of his tentacles.

Nicole gasped, trying to pry herself loose of the sticky net that she was wrapped around in. "What is wrong with you?"

"No, I believe that there is something wrong with _you_, my sweet little child. What is making you shudder with terror before me?" Damien asked, bringing Nicole closer to him.

"C-Can we just…n-not worry about this anymore? T-There is nothing wrong with me." Nicole answered nervously.

"Now don't give me any of that, ma ami. I want the truth. So, what is it that you are so _deathly_ afraid of?" The TentaSpy inquired as he lifted her off the ground and brought her to eye-level with him.

Nicole kept her mouth closed, closing her eyes and turning away from Damien.

"Tell me, ma petite squatine…" Damien grasped her chin with his hand and lifted her head towards him. "Do you fear death?"

Nicole winced at his touch, still forcing herself to keep her eyes shut.

"Is it pain?" Damien guessed with a sinister smile, "I'm sure you're afraid that I will hurt you like before."

Nicole shook her head. "No…"

"Oh, I see what it is now." Damien chuckled, "Is it…me that you're scared of?"

Nicole was completely still, not willing to answer Damien's questions.

"Maybe this will get you to answer, chéri." Damien leaned forward and kissed her.

That's when Nicole's eyes flew open, shocked find his lips pressed against hers. She squeaked as she tried desperately to pull back, whimpering in pain as he bit down.

Damien finally drew away from her, with blood on his mouth. "Mmm, you're still very delicious." He chuckled and licked his lips.

Nicole felt her blood oozing down her chin. "What is gotten into you?" she closed her eyes again.

"Shhh," Damien placed a finger over Nicole's mouth. "it's alright, ma chéri, do not be afraid of me. Now, answer my question."

With a heavy sigh, Nicole opened one eye. "I…am…a-a-afraid."

"Of?"

"…Y-You."

Damien nodded in understanding. "Ah, I see. I know the perfect way to solve you little problem of yours."

Nicole tugged back as she opened the other eye. "By letting me go?" she asked with a hopeful, but weak smile.

The TentaSpy sneered. "Of course not. You must understand that my power over you is very strong."

Nicole's smile disappeared. "What the heck is that supposed to mean?"

"Why should that be important, chéri? What is important is that you should let your mind start a journey through a strange new world. Leave all thoughts of the light you knew before. Let your soul take you where you long to be."

Nicole blinked in confusion. "Wait, what? What are you trying to say? You're really starting to act all…weird. It's kind of creeping me out…by a lot."

Instead of answering Nicole's question, Damien started to sing. As he wrapped his arms around her and brought her to his chest, he smiled to see her still and tranquil.

Nicole forced her eyes to stay open. "You saw me…playing…Halo's theme music earlier today…before I left…didn't you?" she asked as she recognized his angelic melody.

Damien stopped and looked down at her, smiling at her and showing his sharp teeth. "Oui, I did." He chuckled.

"Oh…" Nicole yawned, "I was kind of…afraid of that." She slowly closed her eyes as she rested her head on his chest.

"That's right, ma petite squatine, close your eyes and start you journey through _my_ strange world. Only then…you will belong to me." Damien whispered with a sinister grin, starting to sing once again until his mesmerizing voice finally put her to a deep sleep.


	51. A Gruesome Date

_Author's Note: Hi! I am SO sorry that I am late. There was something wrong with the Doc Manager for some odd reason. But don't worry, I updated! Anyway, here's the Anonymous Review Reply!_

_**Animed2Fox**- Yup, the drama is increasing! Hmm, I'll go ahead and look at that fic. Thanks for the review! **Leon**: *blinks* It's okay. What seems to be the problem?_

_**Bearybeary**- Thanks. You're about to find out what happens next! Thanks for the review!_

_And now, here's the next chapter! Enjoy! And I apologize again for the techincal difficulties I had from before!_

* * *

"Ugh…wha-? What happened? W-Where…am I?" Nicole moaned as she slowly opened both her eyes. "Is this my…bed?" she slowly sat up and checked her surroundings. "Yeah, I'm still home…but where the heck is Damien? And what was that all about? Was he…trying to get out my real feelings?" she yawned as she slid off from the bed. "Aww man, what time is it? I'm famished…" Nicole sighed as she placed a hand to her stomach. "I better go see what's in the fridge, I hope those leftovers from Wednesday are still there." She dragged herself to the door and opened it, casually made her way out of her room.

Without warning, Nicole was stopped as a cloth bag dropped over her head, blinding her. "HEY! What's going on?" she demanded, as she grabbed by the shoulders and guided down what felt like to be the stairs. "Who are you? What do you want from me?"  
There was no response.

"This isn't funny! I demand to know what's going on around here!"

Still no answer.

"Can you at least give me a hint on what time it is?" Nicole questioned, as two hands forced her to sit down on a wooden chair. Finally, the bag was removed off from her. "Damien?"

Sitting at the other side of the small table was the TentaSpy. "Bon appetite, ma chéri." He smiled, raising his wine glass full of red liquid towards her.

"What are you trying to do?" Nicole questioned, staring at the table cloth and lit candles on the table.

"This is my service to you, my dear. It was my little surprise I was working on while you were asleep. I decided to make dinner for the both of us. I told you that I would do something special for you."

Nicole smiled sheepishly. "Well, why didn't you just knock on my door instead of kidnapping me?"

Damien laughed. "I didn't want you to see what I was up to."

"Oh, do you mind if I do something really quick?" Nicole asked as she tried to stand up. But she quickly sat back down, feeling a tentacle coil around her ankle.

"Actually, I do." Damien frowned. "You don't know how long it took me to make this perfect. So please, stay and enjoy. Oh, before you ask, it is around six, so don't panic about your parents getting home any time soon."

Nicole nodded and settled in her chair uncomfortably. "Alright…" she noticed the two plates that were in front of both her and Damien. "So…what did you make tonight?" she asked, pointing at the caramel-colored meat on her side.

Damien took a sip of his drink. "Just try it, I'm sure you'll like it. And don't worry, I cooked yours so you won't have to eat it raw like I am. To tell you the truth, it is very difficult to cook with that heating device over there." He waved his hand towards the stove. "How do you humans prepare food so easily?"

"I don't know. I guess it takes practice." Nicole sighed as took her glass, "Please don't tell me you gave me wine…I can't drink that stuff at all."

Damien chuckled. "Of course not. I'm not that foolish."

Nicole shrugged as she took a sip as well. Immediately after, she spat her drink back out on her napkin. "You gave me blood to drink?"

Damien grinned, holding back his laugh. "You weren't supposed to drink that, I put it on your side as a prop, should I say. The blood is for me." He explained.

Nicole felt her stomach stir in disgust. "That would have been nice to know…" she took her fork and knife and began cutting up her meat.

"So sorry, chéri, I should have mentioned it earlier." Damien apologized.

Nicole shrugged. "Don't worry about it…it's fine. As long as I don't get sick, then I'll be okay."

"So, tell me, ma squatine, how have been things with you recently?" Damien asked.

"Uhh, fine, I guess…hanging out with the RED Team and such…" Nicole answered, finishing cutting up the meat. "Nothing really special at all. I'm just trying to attend to my business as usual."

"I see." Damien nodded in understanding.

"How are you kids?" Nicole questioned, "Are they doing alright?"

"Oui, they are." Damien nodded. "Jacque is babysitting them for the night. But the boys are getting along well as always."

"That's nice." Nicole smiled a little.

Damien continued to gaze at Nicole. "You look absolutely beautiful…" he compliment, biting down on his uncooked meat. "It's as though we were made for each other. Now, if any one were to say that you are ugly or horrible to look at, I will rip their lungs out in an instant."

Nicole blushed slightly. "Uhh, t-thanks for that comment, Damien. I honestly don't know what to say. I just woke up like five minutes ago and I'm wearing a hoodie and jeans. I don't honestly think I'm that stunning." She took one bite. "Huh, that's different…I've never had this kind of meat before. I kind of has…that funny aftertaste."

"I know that it's different at first, but you'll get used to human flesh in no time." Damien assured.

Nicole dropped her fork. "What did you say?" she almost gagged.

"Oui, I said human flesh. Did I undercook yours?" Damien asked.

"That's not the point, Damien. You gave me…human flesh to eat for dinner?"

"I wanted you to try something new. And this was the only thing I had."

Nicole's eyes widened in shock. "Damien…you remember that time when you came over and you said that you picked a dog for lunch or whatever after you disguised as my friend, right?"

"Oui, I do."

"You lied, didn't you?"

Damien nodded. "Yes. I took a human male that was running by the harbor that day and not a dog. This is what's left of him. I believe that you have his shoulder."

Nicole's right eye twitched. "Oh…" she felt light-headed and pale before falling back over her chair and fainting.

Damien peered over the unconscious girl. "At least she didn't run away screaming from me." He sighed.

* * *

With the sunlight shining in her eyes, Nicole woke up, moaning and yawning. "Geez, that didn't feel like that was enough sleep and I'm still in my day clothes from freaking yesterday…" she slowly sat up. "What the-?"

Lurking by the left corner was Damien completely shirtless. "Bonjour, ma squatine." He smirked.

Nicole frowned. "You're…still here?"

The TentaSpy nodded. "Oui, I am."

"…What for? And why are you shirtless again?"

"I have a gift for you, ma chéri, and trust me, it wasn't so easy to get. Things got messy, so I had to wash my clothes and hang them to dry." He approached the bedside and handed her a small, leather pouch. "I just know that you'll love this one." He smirked.

Nicole reluctantly took the bag, giving Damien a suspicious look. "Okay, thanks…" she peeked inside. "Ahh!" She gasped as she threw the bag as far away as possible. "What is that?"

A small, bloody mass rolled out from the stained bag. It laid lifelessly next to Damien's tentacles. "It's a heart." He answered.

"Yeah, I know what it is! Who does it belong to?"

Damien chuckled. "I'm glad you asked, ma chéri. You see, I decided to pay a visit to someone that you know of…"

Nicole felt her heart skip an entire beat. "Oh no…y-you did not-!"

"Oui, I murdered your rival…I do believe her name was Trisha Jezbell." Damien's crooked smile grew.

"You killed Trisha?" Nicole exclaimed.

"It wasn't that easy to find her, but once I did, I took manners in my own hands…and my own tentacles."

Nicole paled a little. "How could you?"

"As you see, I had to track her down based on those pictures you had kept before you burnt them with that Pyro. When I finally saw her, I followed her home and waited until she had drifted into a peaceful sleep."

Nicole's heart began to race in her chest. "T-Then what?"

"I woke her up with a threat, laid in bed with her, and I…" the TentaSpy giggled, staring at Nicole with a crazed, bloodshot gaze in his golden eyes, "…did my business with her."

"You…raped her?"

"Rape is such a strong word, I would call it a 'vigorous affair'. As I was saying, I then stabbed her, carved out her heart, and ate most of her. And don't worry, I left without a trace, so nobody will know it was I who killed her. Aren't you pleased of me for disposing your most hated rival?" Damien smiled again, showing blood-stained teeth.

Nicole slowly inched away from Damien, scooting to the other side of the bed. "I don't believe what I am hearing…"

"You should, ma squatine, I did this wonderful favor for _you_, ma petite cher." Damien said, focusing deeply into her amber eyes.

Nicole stood up from the bed and headed towards the door, trying not to look into his mesmerizing reptile eyes. "I didn't want anyone killed, Damien. When I said I hated her, I did not mean I wanted her heart ripped out from her. What were you thinking?"

Damien snickered. "That's what makes my gift to you so special. I planned everything myself so I can see the surprised look on your face." He explained.

Nicole took one quick glance before opening the door. "I'm surprised, alright, I'm surprised that you would do such a horrible thing!" She raced out from the room and down the stairs. "Must. Get. Out. Of. Here." Nicole panted.

Just then, the phone in her pocket began to vibrate. Nicole scanned the area quickly before picking up her phone and answering it. "Hello?"

"NICOLE! NICOLE!" Cassie's panicked voice screamed through the speakers.

"Ow! Cassie what is wrong with you? You're going to make me deaf if you yell like that in my ear." Nicole groaned in pain.

"I'm sorry, but this is an emergency! I saw in the news earlier that Trisha's been killed!" Cassie explained with her voice cracking.

"…Y-Yeah, I heard about that."

"They said that the psycho killer carved her heart out! Not only that, they also mentioned that there's bite marks and torn flesh all over her body!"

Nicole shuddered. "I…heard about that too…"

"I can't believe it! The victim was someone we freaking went to school with! I'm scared out of my wits! First those strange disappearances by the harbor, and now a murder? What if that crazy killer strikes again? He could be after any of us by now!"

An ice-cold sweat drop slid down the back of Nicole's neck. "W-We don't know that for sure, but I can tell you that we'll be okay and i-it'll be all over soon." She gulped.

"Nicole? Are you okay? You don't sound well."

"Uh! Listen, Cassie…I really have to get going, I'm actually really busy at the moment."

"Oh…I see. Well, call me later, okay?"

Nicole nodded. "I will."

"Bye and… please take care."

Nicole hung up and shoved the phone back in her pocket hurryingly. "What am I doing? I have to get out of here now!" she bolted for the front door, only to be jerked back as a scarf flung over her and towed her by the throat.

Damien pulled her towards him as he held both ends of the red and black stripped scarf, wearing his suit still stained in some blood. "Don't go outside, ma petite squatine, it's rather cold and you'll freeze to death. Stay in here with me, chéri, I'll warm you up." He laughed evilly, "Here, let me wrap this scarf around your neck." He coiled the scarf around her tightly.

Nicole gagged and gasped for breath. "S-Stop it, Damien! You're scaring me!" she whimpered and tried to pull away.

"Am I?" Damien growled. "Am I frightening you, chéri?"

Nicole spun around and trashed about to untangle herself from the constricting scarf. "Leave me alone!"

"You're not answering me, my dear. Answer my question. Am I scaring you? Well…AM I?" The TentaSpy roared angrily.

Nicole jumped back in shock, ripping herself free. "First, you think that it's okay to give me human meat for dinner, now you rape and murder someone just to make me happy? J-Just get away from me!" she sobbed, flinging the door with one hand and busting out from the house.

Damien hissed as he watched her run from him. "You're not escaping from me, ma chéri. Neither running nor hiding will save you this time."


	52. The Shining Tentacles

_Author's Note: Hello! Here's the Anonymous Review Reply!_

_**Animed2Fox**- Ah, but there is more action to come! Thanks! ^_^ That fic was...interesting. I kind of want to read more, actually. Thanks for the review! **Leon**: But there are many murderous people in black suits. So who are you talking about?_

_And now, here's the next chapter. Oh! I put a reference to something very familiar in this chapter (which the source belongs to it's rightful owners). XD Hopefully, it will be easy to catch. Enjoy! And happy _Friday the 13th_, everyone! :D_

* * *

Nicole barged through the doors of the factory. "HELP ME!" she screamed with tears running down her face.

There was no answer.

"THERE'S A MANIAC AFTER ME! BILL? LÉON? KLAUS? PYRO? ANYONE HERE? HELLO?"

Silence was the only response.

"WHERE ARE YOU? I NEED HELP! PLEASE!" Nicole cried out over and over again, only to hear nothing at all.

"Are you lost, child? I am here to help and guide you to the right direction."

Nicole's hairs on her back stood straight up. She turned to see Damien decloak not to far behind her.

"Surprised to see me again?" Damien sneered, stalking towards Nicole. "Now, I bet you are wondering why I got here so fast, aren't you? Well, it's not that complicated. As you can see, no matter where you go, no matter what you do, I will _always_ find you, ma chéri."

Nicole backed away. "I came here so I can get away from you! Why are you following me everywhere?" she demanded.

"I want to be with you, ma squatine. I want to spend time together." Damien answered, towering over her and grabbing her by the shoulders. "Now, where should we begin?"

Nicole squeaked. "What do you mean?"

"I believe it is time that we should start something together."

"Start what?"

Damien grinned. "A little affair."

Nicole instantly replayed flashbacks in her mind of when Léon wanted the exact same thing from her. "N-No…that can't be true."

"Oh, but it is, ma cher, it is very true, indeed. Let me explain something to you. When I first met you, I was thrilled to have you as my mate, but that didn't happen, did it? Non! So, I found Rose, the love of my life...but now she is gone forever. So I am left with two sons that I love very much. But…things do get lonely from time to time. Recently, I had discovered something. Without you, I just couldn't go on. Finding true love is harder than you think..."

Nicole frowned. "Are you trying to say something?"

Damien nodded, nuzzling his head against her neck. "Je t'aime…" he whispered in her ear.

"I…don't understand." Nicole pulled her head back from him.

"I love you."

Nicole's eyes widen in shock. "W-What?"

"That's right, ma chéri, I love you very much." Damien snickered, wrapping his arms around her.

Nicole squirmed. "Look, I understand that we're friends and all, but I don't think a love relationship between us is going to work. Besides, you're starting to scare me again."

"What's the matter? There's nothing you should be so worried about. This is completely natural. Just relax and I'll do the rest, ma amor." Damien started to nibble at her throat gently.

Nicole started to struggle, trying to pull herself away. "No, Damien, stop."

But the TentaSpy ignored her, continuing to nuzzle her neck and purring excessively loud.

"Damien! Stop! I don't want this!" Nicole begged.

Damien stopped and looked at her with a hungered glance. In one, swift move, he kissed her on the lips.

Nicole jerked back, managing to pull herself free. "I SAID STOP IT, DAMIEN!" she slapped him across the face.

Damien recoiled, hissing and snarling in pain. He glared at her, staring at her coldly with bloodshot eyes.

Nicole, realizing the mistake she made, tried to back off, only to find herself unable to. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to!" she pleaded.

Damien's right eye twitched. "You are sorry? YOU'RE SORRY? Then this is an accident!" he growled, slashing at her with his gloved, clawed hand.

Nicole yelped as the claws dug into her cheek. Blood dripped down from the gashes on her face.

Damien chuckled maliciously. "How does that feel, chéri? It hurts, doesn't it?" his crazed eyes glistened in the little sunlight streaming out from the windows.

Nicole made her first step away from the TentaSpy. "Please…leave me alone…"

"NO!" Damien snapped, approaching her, "Ma petite squatine, you denied me, you're turning from me. Ma petite squatine, do not shun me. Come to your strange master."

"Wait a minute, what?" Nicole inched away from Damien, heading closer and closer to the stairs.

"That's right, you must obey all of my orders from now on. You belong to me now, _ma_ chéri."

From the corner of her eye, Nicole glimpsed at a wooden bat leaning against the wall. Quickly and without hesitation, she snatched the bat. "G-Get back, Damien!" she warned, slowly going up the stairs while facing the monster closing in on her.

"Do you have the _any_ idea what a right and moral standard is, my dear squatine? Do you? Has it ever occurred to you what would happen to _my_ precious future if I were to fail to live up to my responsibilities? I can't remain secretly depressed and care for my only two children at the same time! They are my life and I can't lose them like I lost Rose! Do you understand that I need you more than ever? Has it ever occurred to you? _Has it_?" Damien hissed, creeping up the stairs towards her.

"S-Stay away from me, Damien!" Nicole pleaded, swinging the bat furiously at the TentaSpy.

"What for?" Damien questioned.

"Y-You're confusing me! I just need a bit more time to think this over with."

"You had a long time to think things over. Why would a few more moments alone will do you any good at this point?"

"Just stay back! D-Don't hurt me, please!"

"Come here, chéri." Damien beckoned quietly with tentacles slithering towards her, "I'm not going to hurt you."

"Stay away!"

"Nicole, sweetheart, the luminosity of my world," Damien called, "You're not letting me finish my sentence. I said: 'I'm not going to hurt you.' I will never harm you in any way, my child. I'm only going to dominate you! I will pin you down and overpower you!" he laughed with a sickening grin.

Nicole flinched, but continued to make her way up the stairs, still facing Damien with a fearful expression. "Leave me alone! Just stay away! Please don't hurt me!"

"I will not harm you, chéri."

"Get away from me!"

Damien avoided the swinging bat. "Stop swinging and hand the bat to me."

Nicole shook her head. "Get back!"

"Please stop, squatine." Damien frowned.

"Go away!"

"Lay your weapon down and walk towards me." Damien ordered.

"Stop it, Damien!" Nicole's tears streamed down her face as the poor girl trembled in fear.

"Hand the bat over towards me, Nicole."

"Just stay away!"

"That's enough. Now stop swinging the bat."

"Stop scaring me, Damien, and leave me alone."

"NICOLE!" Damien bellowed angrily with a deep and powerful voice. He took in a deep breath and sighed. "Chéri," he called again with a softer voice, "Give me the bat." He stretched forth his hand, reaching out towards the baseball bat. "Hand it to me."

Instinctively, Nicole swatted his hand with a short, but quick swing. "NO!"

Damien growled, pulling back his head. "Wrong answer!" one of his tentacles took the bat and yanked it from her hands, tossing it aside.

Nicole screamed and turned away, dashing up the stairs as fast as she could.

Damien cackled, disappearing in his cloak. "_Nicole, __I'm coming for you! You cannot run away! I'm right behind you_!"

Nicole felt his closeness. "LEAVE ME ALONE!" She wailed, running up to the second floor. "Where's a door with a lock?" she found the bathroom door wide open. "Ah ha! That's it!" she raced for the door, lunged in the bathroom, and slammed the door behind her. "Gotta lock it! Gotta lock it!" she muttered, turning the little switch on the doorknob. She sighed of relief and slumped down on the hard floor, knowing that she was somewhat safe.

The bathroom was painted a light red with cream tiles. Although the shower corner, toilet and sink were not entirely polished, it was kept tidy and clean. The mirror was covered in dry water spots and the shower curtain was stained with mud at the bottom. The scent was a cross between cologne and cigarette smoke.

"Come out, come out, where ever you are, chéri."

Nicole gasped and jumped back on to her feet as she heard his eerie voice. She spotted a simple knife on the sink and grabbed it, getting away from the door as possible. She huddled in the corner by the left side of the door.

There was the sound of the knob trying to turn and a knock at the door. "Little pig, little pig, let me come in."

Nicole remained silent, biting down on her lower lip and quivering in fear.

"Not by the hairs of your chiny-chin-chin? Then I'll huff, and I'll puff, and I'll blow your house in!" From the other side, Damien held up an axe that he found in one of the rooms and started hacking at the wooden door.

Nicole cried out in astonishment, watching the axe break its way through the door. She pushed herself against the wall.

The hole gradually expanded as the axe smashed it way through as Damien continued to chop. Finally, once the hole was big enough, Damien placed the axe aside and peered into the hole, staring right at Nicole. "HEEERE'S DAMIEN!"

Nicole screamed as Damien reached for the knob with a tentacle. She lunged at him, slashing at the limb with the knife.

Damien snarled as he pulled back the bleeding tentacle. "You won't be safe for long, chéri! I will get you!" Another tentacle jumped out towards her and yanked her knife away, hurling it aside with great force, nearly hitting Nicole. He turned the knob with his hand and flung the door wide open. "SURPRISE! I'M BACK, MA PETITE SQUATINE! NOW I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU THE COURTSHIP OF YOUR LIFE!" he came right up to her, snatching her and pinning her against the wall.

"STOP IT, DAMIEN! LET GO OF ME!" Nicole struggled as the tentacles began snaking around her.

"Why should I stop something that I enjoy dearly?" Damien questioned, holding up Nicole to his eye-level, "It does not make any sense. So, shall we continue on with our business?"

Nicole shook her head. "P-Please, don't do this! I didn't ask for any of this!"

"Too bad, so sad, now stay still and enjoy, chéri! It makes things so much worse if you struggle. I'll be gentle, you must trust me."

"I don't t-trust you anymore!" Nicole began to tear up again.

"Well, you should trust me." Damien corrected her as he started to lick the blood and tears off her face.

"No! Stop it! Stop it!" Nicole cried, trying to shake Damien off of her.

"You sorry, malicious creature! I demand that you release her now!"

The two looked over to see Jèrèmie by the door with an Ambassador in hand. Damien snarled, glaring at the BLU Spy with a hateful passion. "M'sieur Jèrèmie, now's not the time for your worthless appearance. Right now, I have important affairs to do." He said, putting a tentacle up to Nicole's face and cupping it under her chin.

Jèrèmie glared. "You've gone too far this time, Damien! First, you convinced her that I was the bad guy…and now you try to forcefully take her for yourself! I cannot stand it any longer! I'll give you ten seconds to leave or you will be finding your guts spill out from you!" He warned, loading his gun.

"No need for such harsh words, m'sieur Jèrèmie, I was going to keep her as a virgin."

"LIES!" Jèrèmie barked, "Ten…" he started to countdown harshly.

"You are such an immature Spy to use that method." Damien rolled his eyes in annoyance.

"Nine…"

"No need to worry, Mademoiselle Nicole is in good shape and she's quite healthy."

"Eight…"

"Why so stubborn, m'sieur Jèrèmie?" Damien taunted, "Don't you think being so stubborn is a terrible habit?"

"Seven."

"It was just a simple game we were playing. So it should be nothing to worry about."

"Six."

"You're completely overreacting, m'sieur. Just unwind and calm down."

"Five."

"You're very fortunate that she is all in one piece. I took good care of her."

"Four."

"M'sieur Jèrèmie, please stop this foolish nonsense."

"Three."

"I order you to stop!"

"TWO!" Jèrèmie placed a finger over the trigger, narrowing his brown eyes.

With a heavy sigh, Damien released Nicole from his tight, slimy clutches and pulled back. "There, she is out of my grip…Does that satisfy you in any way?"

Jèrèmie frowned. "No, I want you to get out, slither back from where you came from, and leave her alone."

Damien hissed, baring his teeth. "So be it. But mark my words, Jèrèmie, you may have won the battle, but you will not win this war. You both will see that it will be _I_ that rules supreme! And there will be nothing that can stop me!" With an angry glare, the TentaSpy disappeared in his cloak.

Jèrèmie snorted. "Keep dreaming, m'sieur…" he tucked the Ambassador back into his coat.

"J-Jèrèmie…?" Nicole softly called, shivering and sniffling.

The BLU Spy glimpsed over at her. "Chéri! Are you alright?"

Nicole made small steps towards him, with tearful, regretful eyes. "I'm…sorry." She leaned against him, wrapping her arms around him. "I'm so sorry I panicked hid from you."

"It's alright, I won't hurt you Everything's alright now." Jèrèmie hugged back comfortingly.

"Why was I so stupid? I should have seen the signs that Damien was losing his sanity. I'm such and idiot letting him do this to me!"

"Now, now, no need to blame yourself. It is not your fault. But right now, let's not worry about any of this. What is important is that we need to get you cleaned up."

"Where's the RED Team?" Nicole asked.

"They are all out doing sightseeing or something, although I do not know what exactly they're doing. They'll come back soon, and I wouldn't want any of them seeing you with blood all over your face."

Nicole glanced over at the gapping hole in the door. "How am I going to explain that?"

Jèrèmie frowned and sighed. "I honestly do not know." He answered with a faint laugh, "Just try your best."

Nicole grinned as she hugged him again. "It's good to see you again, Jèr."

"It's good to see you again too, chéri." Jèrèmie's smile reappeared as he gently held her close to him.


	53. Getting Plans Together

_Author's Note: Wow! Over 400 reviews? You guys are amazing as usual! ***hands out cookies*** :D It's time for the Anonymous Review Reply!_

_**Fred the Fish**- Yup, and then it would have been twice as scary! XD Glad you got the reference. Thanks for the review! I thought that it would be great for Friday the 13th. _

_**Bearybeary**- Yup, because it would have been horrible if Jeremie had never shown up. Thanks for the revew! And congradulations for submitting the 400th review! (Yes, I checked, don't worry)._

_**Animed2Fox**- Acutally, no. I haven't watched that movie. I just had Wikiquote to help me out. Oh, continue that fic? Hmm...Well, the thing is...I have other stories I need to work on before. So, it maybe a while before I start working on it. Thanks for the review! :3 **Leon**: Oh no...not him. I think he's lost it again._

_**ducky**- Thanks. I'm happy that you liked both of my TF2 stories. :D I'm trying my best to not make her as perfect as possible. She does have flaws and a normal life...sort of. And Spies can be unpredictable most of the time, so that's why Nicole keeps messing up when she's around them. She's trying to learn, but she's got other problems. I thought that it would be cute for Nicole to spend time with Jeremie. ^_^ Thanks, I like Damien too. I'm actually trying to write his background story right now. I hope you're interest. Oh, I just used translators for the foreign language stuff. You think you can point out my mistakes? Thanks so much for the review!_

_And now, here's the next chapter. Enjoy! :D_

* * *

"So, Jèrèmie, how did you know I was here?" Nicole asked, sitting in the desk in the Medic's office, "And how did you come here so quickly?"

Jèrèmie took a cotton ball soaked in hydrogen peroxide and started dabbing on her bloodied cheek. "I was here this whole time." He answered.

Nicole blinked, flinching in slight pain. "Really? What for?"

"I was…" the BLU Spy hesitated, biting his lower lip, "…feeling guilty about scaring you the other day. I 'ad a feeling that it was Damien's doing, but there was something in my mind that told me it was my fault as well."

Nicole sighed. "No, Jèrèmie, it was my fault. You see…I had this dream that night. It was more of a nightmare..."

"You did?"

"Y-Yeah…It involved you…betraying me and trying to kill me." Nicole shuddered at the thought. "It was horrifying."

"Ah, that explains a lot." Jèrèmie tossed away the old cotton ball into the nearby trash bin. "Listen, I can understand why you are afraid of me." He said, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Although it is true that I…how should I put this? I deceive others for a living. We've gone over this before, am I right?"

Nicole slowly nodded her head. "I guess so. I was just afraid of you tricking me all of a sudden."

"I understand, and I will tell you that I will never do such a thing. You are considered my friend and I will _never_ harm you in anyway. I try my very best to be a good, responsible man every day…although that I will admit that it is sometimes easier said than done."

Nicole weakly grinned of sympathy. "I know how that feels."

"But what I am trying to say is that I will always be honest with you and never lie, deceive, or betray you. It would be very wrong of me if I were to do so. And I don't want to lose your trust. As I said many, many times…I care about you more than anything."

"It's always good to hear it one more time." Nicole placed her hand on his.

Jèrèmie smiled. "Merci. So…are you doing alright?"

Nicole shrugged her shoulders. "I'm still trying to recover from earlier, but I think I'll be okay."

"That's good. I'm just glad that Damien did not try to seriously hurt you."

Nicole's smile disappeared. "Yeah, me too."

"I knew he would lose self-control. If this keeps going, he's going to cause more problems than we bargained for. From now on, until he regains his sanity, I want you to stay away from that TentaSpy." Jèrèmie ordered, "I think it will be safer this way."

"I'll try. But what if I don't know how?" Nicole asked worryingly.

"I'll be there to help." Jèrèmie answered.

"Thanks, Jèr."

"My pleasure."

"But what are we going to do about Damien? Is there any way to get him back in control?" Nicole inquired.

Jèrèmie sighed. "I'm…not quite sure. If there is a way, I do not think it will be easy. But I'm afraid that it's much worse than that."

"What do you mean?"

"If Damien continues to act the way he is, he might go down a path of no return. There could be a chance to where he'll be his old, corrupted self…permanently."

Nicole gasped. "No! I don't want that! We can't let him do it!"

"But it's vague whether he'll do that or not. Right now, we must focus on your safety from that…" Jèrèmie's eyes suddenly narrowed, looking back as if something was behind him. "…Monster."

"How am I going to do that? Damien said that he'll find me no matter where I go."

"Then we'll think of something. I will try my very best that he doesn't follow you home tonight." Jèrèmie turned back, patting Nicole on the back. "Please don't worry too much."

"It's hard not to." Nicole replied, sighing heavily and frowning a bit.

"I understand, so that's why we all have to be extra cautious. Damien could be planning anything at this moment…or even watching us as we speak."

Nicole instantly clung on to the BLU Spy. "I don't want to be informed of that!" she whimpered, "That just makes this situation worse..."

"It's just a possibility. I'm only thinking like a normal Spy." Jèrèmie explained, "But I'm unsure how a TentaSpy thinks, which makes him that more unpredictable." He thought silently for a moment. "Cheri, listen to me. I want you to go back home with a RED member, since Damien could be out there waiting for you to come out alone. As soon as you get there, immediately lock all the doors and windows, close the blinds, and _never_ answer the door."

"But what if it's you at the door?" Nicole questioned with a worried expression.

"I will knock like this." Jèrèmie tapped at the wall three short times, followed by two longer taps. "Does that help?"

Nicole grinned and nodded of approval. "Yep, sounds good to me. But what are you going to be doing?"

"I'll stay behind, making sure that Damien doesn't follow you. If he's hiding or in disguise, I'll cautiously check every square inch of this place. Once this place is secure, I'll go over and join you…and remember that knock that I showed you."

Nicole nodded. "Alright…"

Jèrèmie looked up towards the door as he heard footsteps. "Cheri, please be safe…" he gently wrapped his arms around her. "I don't want anything to happen to you…"

Nicole hugged back. "I'll do all that I can. Just promise me that you'll be safe too."

Jèrèmie smiled, pulling away from her. "I'll do my best, although it won't be easy as last time." He quickly vanished in his cloak without a trace.

"Fraulein?" The Medic called, entering in his office, "Is zhat you in zhere?"

"Uh, yeah! It's me! I was just trying to find a band-aid in here." She replied, pretending to search through drawers and cabinets.

Klaus noticed the three gashes on her face. "Vhat happened to you?" he rushed to her side, checking the clean wound.

"My cat scratched me earlier today. I already cleaned it with hydrogen peroxide…I think." Nicole explained.

"Ja, I noticed."

"So, where did you guys go?"

"Ve vent over to ze Empire State Building and took a zimple tour around Broadway."

"Wow, you already know what Broadway is?"

Klaus nodded. "Ja, thanks to ze Scoot."

"Oh. I see. Hey, I think I have to get going. Do you mind if you take me home?" Nicole inquired.

Klaus sighed and shook his head. "Nein, I can't. I have to do zomething very important. But I can have someone else take you. Vhat is it for?"

Nicole shrugged. "I kind of don't like walking around by myself anymore…since I'm scared of things like thugs and ruthless gang members…you know? Like those ones in the movies?"

"I zuppose you do have a point, fraulein." Klaus thought for a moment.

"Yeah…" Nicole said, heading towards the door. "I'll see you around, Klaus."

"Ja. Take care, fraulein." Klaus smiled, waving happily at her before looking down at the charts and graphs that he was holding.

* * *

"How could it fail again? I was close that time…and _he_ had to show up and ruin everything! He will not be forgiven this time!"

Underneath the harbor, Damien paced back and forth in the water, snarling angrily as he held a can of sardines. "He's has gone too far once again! That insignificant BLU Spy is interfering with _my_ time with Mademoiselle Nicole! Don't you agree, mon ami?" he glanced over at Jacque.

The little black crab whimpered, crouching at the furthest corner of the concrete island. _Click…click-y click_?

Damien sighed, plucking an individual sardine and throwing it in his mouth. "The children are perfectly fine, Jacque. I have to say thank you for watching over them."

_Click-y…click click. Click_?

"I have been trying to spend time with them, my friend. Honestly! It's just been so hard to take care of my only two sons…and be completely happy at the same time. I love my boys dearly, but I cannot concentrate with this overwhelming sadness I have. That's why I need her. I need her so I can relax and be stress free." Damien stopped pacing and rested his arm on the concrete isle.

_Click_?

Damien looked over at the Spy Crab, swallowing his small fish. "What is it?"

_Click. Click. Click-y, click. Click, click, click-y_?

Damien glared. "Are you questioning me?"

Jacque squeaked in fear, cowering behind his pinchers.

"I am fine, Jacque! There is nothing wrong with me…It's what's wrong with the others. Jèrèmie doesn't understand what the ambition of love is. He wouldn't even know what love is even if it hit him in the back of the head. And as for Nicole…she doesn't trust me anymore. I don't know what went wrong with her. Why would she side with…with _him_?" Damien's golden eyes narrowed. "She's always wanted precious Jèrèmie whenever I was around. 'Oh please, Damien! Don't hurt me! I just want Jèrèmie!'" he mocked, acting to be weak and frightened, "'Why are you acting like this Damien? I want Jèrèmie to comfort me, not you! Damien, I want Jèrèmie to be my real friend…you're only just a freak, a monster, and savage beast! I need Jèrèmie! Jèrèmie this…Jèrèmie that! JÈRÈMIE THAT AND THIS!' WHAT A FOOL SHE IS TO UNDERESTIMATE ME!"

As the rage grew, Jacque backed away in pure terror, cowering before the TentaSpy.

"THIS IS THE FINAL STRAW! I CANNOT TAKE IT ANY LONGER! THAT FOOLISH HUMAN SPY WILL PAY FOR EVERY SINGLE THING HE HAS RUINED!" Damien roared, with the tentacles writing about in fury. He suddenly stopped and sighed, placing another sardine in his mouth. "I have given a name to my pain...and it is Jèrèmie. I will not stand to the side and let Jèrèmie take over anymore! He ruins my brilliant plans every time! It's as if he's trying to keep her to himself! This must end once and for all! It's time to put things into my own tentacles. But…how?" he inquired, thinking silently for a moment.

_C-Click? Click…click…click-y_?

Damien glanced over at the Spy Crab. "Hm? Say that again."

_Click. Click. Click, click-y click-y click, click_.

"You're right, mon ami, she does trust him quite a lot, doesn't she?" Damien's crooked sneer widened. "That's it! THAT'S IT! I think the answer is just in my reach. So…Mademoiselle Nicole trusts Jèrèmie …How interesting." He chuckled menacingly, "She believes that he would do nothing to trick or deceive her in any way. That is very peculiar. This may be the answer to all my troubles. He will pay…She will be mine…All shall bow to me!" His sinister snickering slowly grew into maniacal, hysterical laughter.


	54. Troubles in Action

_Author's Note: It's time for the Anonymous Review Reply!_

_**Ducky**- You'll find out in this next chapter! There's a great description of Nicole at the very first chapter of both Princess of the Fortress and this story. But if you need any more detail, let me know. That's cool! Are you going to post up the pics on Deviantart? If so, I'll post the links on my profile in the fan-art section. ^_^ Ah, thanks for the tips. "Squatine" (hopefully) means "angelfish"...but I used a internet translator. Awesome! Damien's backrgound story should be up as soon as this story is finished. Thanks for the review! :D_

_**Anime2Fox**- Yes! The plot is thickening! Ah, I see. Thanks for the review! **Leon**: That TentaSpy is always snapping. That is why I say 'again'._

_And now, here's the next chapter! Enjoy, everyone! _

* * *

Nicole opened the door to her front house, turning back at Jake. "Thanks for brining me back."

The Scout shrugged. "Eh, it's no problem, Nicole! But why didn't you want to go by yourself? I mean, it's not even dark out yet."

Nicole shrugged. "Yeah, I know…but I just don't want anyone attacking me when I'm all vulnerable and out in the open, you know?"

"Hm, that's true, but you come to our place by yourself all the freakin' time." Jake sighed, rubbing the back of his head. "Alright, alright. I won't argue with ya anymore. Well, hey, if you need me or the guys, we'll be over at the Statue of Liberty again."

Nicole nodded. "Okay, sounds good. You have fun." She smiled and waved.

Jake waved back. "Anytime. Catch ya later, knucklehead!" he gave her a quick noogie to the head before racing off to the sidewalks.

Nicole giggled a bit, entering the house and closing the door behind her. "I have no time to waste if I want Damien to stay out." She immediately locked the front door and raced to the kitchen to the back door. "This is crazy! If Damien is as desperate as Jèrèmie said, then I'm officially screwed if I mess up just once." She locked the door checked every window to see if they were blinded and shut tightly. Soon afterwards, she turned off each individual light. "There…that should do it." She quickly plucked out her phone and shined the light in her direction. "This is freaking scary! What if he actually did follow me here? What if he's in this house right now? What if…what if he's…right behind me?" she glanced all around. "Well…no sign of him so far. So I think I'm doing well. Now I'm going to have to wait for Jèrèmie's return. I sure hope he makes it in time." She heavily sighed.

As if on cue, there were three short taps followed by two longer knocks at the door. At first, Nicole jumped in alarm, but then sighed of relief upon realizing who it was. Slowly approaching the door, she unlocked it, opened it, and peaked out from it. "Jèrèmie! Thank goodness it's you! I was wondering if you were going to make it or not."

The BLU Spy's expression wasn't as calmed as hers. "Listen, chéri, your friend's in great danger!"

Nicole's relaxed grin quickly vanished. "What? Who?" she stepped outside and closed the door behind her.

"It's Jake. He's been captured by that TentaSpy! He's holding him hostage at the factory! We have no time to lose!" he grabbed Nicole's wrist and raced off.

"Wait! Why would Damien suddenly take Jake?" Nicole questioned.

"For revenge! He wants to try to bring you to him by kidnapping your friend as use him as bait! And if we don't hurry, he'll surly make a meal out of him." Jèrèmie explained.

Nicole gasped. "No! Not Jake!"

"Then hurry! We cannot waste anymore time!"

Nicole nodded and ran by his side. Dashing on the sidewalks and speeding through parks, she wondered why Jèrèmie was so worried about a RED Team member. She knew that Jake was a very good friend, but it was odd to see the BLU Spy just as worried as she was.

Finally, they had reached the factory. Jèrèmie halted and glanced around. "I think he's inside! I'll go check around while you go to the front and go inside."

Nicole nodded and ran off. "JAKE! JAKE! WHERE ARE YOU?" she called.

No response.

"JAKE! DON'T WORRY! I'LL COME AND GET YOU!"

Silence.

Nicole turned back to Jèrèmie. "I can't hear anything in there. Are you sure that he's in there?"

Jèrèmie stood quietly, staring intensely at her.

"Uh…Jèrèmie? A-Are you okay?"

Jèrèmie grinned, narrowing his eyes and focusing on her.

"J-Jèrèmie? You're starting to worry me a little." Nicole frowned.

Jèrèmie chuckled. "Getting scared yet?"

Nicole whimpered, flinching upon hearing his disturbing voice. "Huh? What are you talking about?"

Jèrèmie sneered. "You know what? I just realized something." He slowly began to approach her.

"W-What?"

"Jake isn't the one in trouble."

"Then…who is?"

Jèrèmie blinked, his chocolate brown eyes changing into golden reptilian. "It's _you_!"

Nicole screamed in terror, trying to jump back. But the imposter quickly seized her and tightened his grip, dragging her to the factory.

* * *

Jèrèmie wandered around aimlessly on the sidewalk, rubbing the back of his head. "Oh…merde. What happened?" he sighed, shaking his head in distress. "I thought the factory was clear. Where is that monster? If he's near Nicole, I'll rip him apart! No…I'll carve out his heart! That fiend! I just hope Nicole is doing alright." He started to tremble, tearing up. "How could I let this happen? My poor, sweet fille…Please be safe…"

"Hey, c'mon, Doc, move it! We're wasting daylight here! I want to get to the park!"

Jèrèmie looked up upon hearing the familiar voice. "Is that…the Scout?"

"I'm zorry, Herr Scoot, I'm just too tired from valking around all day."

Jèrèmie leaned against a nearby wall, peering over to see the RED Team wandering around on the sidewalk at the other side of the street. "This could be my chance. I must confront them, even if it means endangering myself. I'm going to have to try in order to save her." He took in a deep breath before coming out from his hiding spot and crossed the nearly desolate street.

"BOYS! WE HAVE AN ENEMY!" Kyle shouted, "IT'S THAT MAGGOT, THE BLU SPY!" he announced at the top of his lungs.

All of the RED Team immediately turned to see the approaching BLU Spy. They scowled, packing themselves together in a tight group.

Benny scowled. "You wanker! Tryin' to sneak up on us, you mongrel?"

Pyro muffled angrily, instantly taking out his flamethrower and aiming it at Jèrèmie.

"Gentlemen…please. Let me explain." Jèrèmie begged.

"We ain't believin' you, ya bloody Spy!" Angus snapped with a drunken slur.

"Why should we listen to you again? We already told you that we'll be enemies after Nicole left." Bill growled, holding his wrench close to his chest.

"Oui, I know…But there's a reason why I came back."

Léon stepped up towards the enemy Spy. "Whatever reason that is, you're quite foolish to show your face to us again." He took out his Ambassador. "I will enjoy blowing your head clean off, as long as you don't bleed on my suit."

"This isn't the time for revenge, Léon, I have bigger problems to attend to." Jèrèmie growled, straightening to his full height.

"And what would that be? Killing us so you can rid us forever? I heard that we cannot respawn in this universe." Léon's smile grew, pointing the barrel of the gun at the BLU Spy's head.

"Mademoiselle Nicole is in great danger as we speak." Jèrèmie informed.

Léon's pale-blue eyes widened in shock. "Wha-?"

"She's been taken by a horrible fiend. He's holding her hostage at the factory as we speak. What's wrong, m'sieur Léon? I thought you and Nicole became friends now. Shouldn't you be concerned?"

Léon blinked in surprise, keeping silent as he blankly gazed at Jèrèmie.

"No! Not Nikki!" Bill gasped, "Who would want her this time?"

"Hold on, m'sieur." Léon gave Jèrèmie the suspicious glare. "How do we know that this isn't one of your schemes?"

Jèrèmie frowned. "Does it look like I have one?"

"Most likely." Léon thought for a moment. "I see what it is now. You want the petite fille all to yourself, so you're planning to kill us all when we arrive at the factory."

Kyle took out his shovel, tapping it against his bare hand. "Let's take 'em down, boys. Give him no mercy!"

"Very well, kill me." Jèrèmie held his arms out and placing them to his sides. "I'm not holding any weapons of sorts. I am trying to prove my innocence. If you kill me now, you will witness the cruel tortures poor Nicole is going though once you return. You would wish that I was alive instead of that brute making her suffer. So…Do what you wish, but make sure you that it's what you want."

Without warning, Kyle charged at Jèrèmie, but Léon's gripped the Soldier by the arm. "Wait, m'sieur Kyle!"

Kyle groaned. "Now what, French maggot? I have an enemy to kill! Can't you see that I'm busy?"

"…I think there is some truth to all this."

"Eh?" Kyle frowned as he lowered his shovel.

Léon focused on Jèrèmie's face. "He's…bruised and bleeding."

Jèrèmie looked down at the blood oozing out from his lower lip. On his left side of his face was a bulging bruise. The right sleeve of the suit was slightly torn and bloodstained. He patiently waited for a response.

"So what? I want to rid the world of this scum-sucking fruit basket!" Kyle argued.

"But why? You think he did that to himself? Not even I would come up to an enemy broken and bleeding and try to deceive them. A Spy may be mostly untruthful, but you always know when they're completely honest." Léon explained.

Jèrèmie started to shake. "P-Please…I need your help once again to save Nicole. You…have no idea how much I care for her." He knelt down at the RED Team. "It would mean the whole world to me if you assist me."

"I don't mean to be ruining this…but you're acting like an imbecile right now." Léon moaned, rolling his eyes. "It's almost embarrassing."

Jèrèmie glimpsed up at the RED Spy, giving him a menacing, ice-cold stare.

Léon frowned. "Alright…we will help. But only if all of us agree." He looked over at the Soldier. "_All_ of us."

Everyone watched for Kyle to answer. The Soldier looked down, slumping his shoulders and leaning on his shovel. His unfocused eyes centered at the ground as he quietly thought his final decision over.


	55. Loss of Sanity

_Author's Note: Hello! It's time for the Anonymous Review Reply!_

_**Bearybeary**- Yup, and we will soon see what Kyle's decision was. That's right, they are stuck in a similar situation like POTF. Thanks for the review!_

_**Animed2Fox**- Yes, action is a good thing, right? Thanks for the review! **Leon**: Oh no...he's in a vengeful feeding frenzy...If we don't stop him soon...he will truly lose his sanity._

_I have bad news_: _I'm going to have to leave Fan-Fiction for a while again. I'm not sure when I will be back to update, but hopefully very soon. I will try to update again this week before I leave. It's been an honor writing this story for wonderful fans like you guys. Thanks for everything and enjoy this next chapter!_

* * *

Tied to a pole by a single rope, Nicole's arms hung over her head. Her two wrists were strapped together with duct tape. Another silver tape covered her mouth. With tearful eyes, she watched the TentaSpy lurking at the nearest corner by her right.

"So, chéri, isn't it a wonderful evening?" Damien asked, with a light brown cigarette dangling from his mouth. "Just you and me…with no one else around. I think it's marvelous having the entire factory to ourselves. Don't you agree, ma amour?" he snickered.

Nicole whimpered and leaned against the pole, forcing herself to look away from his piercing, bloodshot eyes.

"Aww, why so scared, squatine?" Damien approached his prisoner. "You know I will let you live." He leaned towards her, petting her cheek with a clawed finger.

Nicole quivered at his icy touch. She shook her head in defiance, trying to shake him off. She froze as a tentacle grasped her chin and lifted her face to him.

"Just look at you, you're absolutely perfect. So young, tender…" Damien nuzzled his head on her neck, purring of satisfaction. "And just by looking at you I can tell that your soul is…innocent and pure…" He whispered directly in her ear, "I like that."

Nicole muffled, closing her eyes and trying to shift away from Damien.

"Chéri, look at me." Damien ordered, "It's rude to shut your eyes from me."

Nicole refused as she lowered her head.

The tentacle on her chin snaked around her throat. "Look. At. Me." Damien hissed, "LOOK AT ME!"

Nicole opened a single eye, petrified of his intimidating, wicked glare.

"I know what you're thinking, chéri, you think that I am completely losing my mind. It is entirely untrue. You see, child, all work and no play makes Damien a dull man." The TentaSpy chuckled, licking the tip of her nose.

Nicole squeaked through the tape, opening the other eye in surprise.

"Now this is rather…boring. I feel like this is a one-sided conversation. Why don't we hear what you have to say?" Damien suggested, ripping the tape off from Nicole's mouth.

"OW! D-Damien…you're completely insane!" Nicole growled.

"I was afraid you would say that. But you are mistaken, squatine. I am only doing what comes naturally."

"By tricking me, kidnapping me, and holding my hostage? How does that come-?"

"Silence!" Damien snapped, baring his teeth. "I said there is nothing wrong with me! I am fully stable and in balance! It doesn't matter what you say, I am well."

"No, you're not." Nicole protested, "You're losing your self-control, Damien. You're becoming more of a murderer than last time!"

Damien laughed. "Me? Losing self-control? You think that I am losing self-control? And you think I'm a murderer? What has gone into you? Where's that sweet and adorable petite fille I used to know?" he plucked the cigarette out from his mouth and tossed it aside.

Nicole hung her head low. "You're a monster. A sick, twisted, cruel monster who hunts to kill…"

Damien's tentacle around her neck tightened. "Monster? Who's truly the monster here?" he demanded, "I have been suffering ever since my original mate died! I have been trying my very best to support my beloved children! You think that I am savage and cold-blooded? Non, I am only doing what is best for my family and I. You are the key to my happiness…and you're denying me. What a shame."

"Damien, l-listen to me!" Nicole pleaded, gasping for breath, "I'm not denying anything. You're just scaring me…and I don't know what to do to help you!"

"Ah, that's the idea, isn't it?" Damien's wicked smirk grew.

"What are you talking about?"

"Fear can turn to love, chéri. But you must find the man behind this monster, who seems a repulsive and disgusting being, but secretly hopes for true love." The TentaSpy explained, leaning even closer to Nicole.

"This isn't love…this is brutal torture! Do you see what you're becoming with your lust for blood? Am I going to be prey to your desires for flesh?"

Without warning, Damien kissed her, biting down on her lips and gripping her shoulders with his clawed hands. The tentacle around her neck retracted, but still hovered near Nicole's face.

Nicole squirmed, hoping to shrug Damien off from her. But it proved to be useless to struggle and fight back.

Damien pulled back. "So feisty today, aren't we?" he snickered as her blood dripped down from his mouth.

"Y-You're crazy!"

"Am I really crazy, ma petite squatine? Is that what you're saying?"

Nicole licked her lips repeatedly, trying to stop the bleeding. "I'm asking why you are doing this to me. I don't deserve this! Think about what you are doing!"

"I am. Don't you question me!" Damien snarled, "I am doing this for my own good. As a matter of fact, I have a deal to offer…one that you can't possibly refuse."

Nicole narrowed her amber eyes. "What do you mean?"

"What would you say if…you become the next mother of Dimitri and Seth?"

"…What…?"

"That's right, I still need my mate, chéri," Damien smiled, gently patting her cheek with the tentacle. "You're still single, aren't you?"

"Wait! This doesn't make any-!"

"Of course you still are!" Damien interrupted with a grin. The tentacle covered her mouth in an instant. "That's wonderful! I'm sure we'll be the perfect couple. However…there is still that dear friend of yours that you care about so much."

Nicole muffled, watching Damien in total horror.

"You're still worried about Jèrèmie. You thinking that he's probably dead." Damien sneered.

Nicole shook her head in disagreement.

"And you're right, he isn't dead at all. Why, I bet he's on his way right now to rescue you. That poor man, little does he know that he'll be too late by the time he shows up."

Nicole squinted her eyes, too terrified to look into his beastly eyes. She turned her head away from him.

"In the mean time, why don't we have some fun?" Damien suggested, pulling back the tentacle off from her.

"Please…I don't want this…" Nicole begged as tears flowed down her face.

"Shh," Damien shushed, wiping away a tear with a finger. "You'll be fine, my dear." He took out his butterfly knife and unfolded it.

"No! Wait! Don't kill me!" Nicole panicked, scooting away from Damien as far as she could possibly go.

"Relax, ma amour, I am not going to kill you." Damien assured, cutting the rope and tape around her wrists.

Nicole's arms slumped down to her sides. "What are you doing?"

Damien took both of her arms and stood in a dance position. "You'll see." He grinned. Then, he started to waltz around, carrying Nicole with him.

"Wait! No! Not again!" Nicole muttered under her breath.

"Now, now, no need to fret. You like this, admit it. You adored our dance when we first met." Damien twirled and spun. "So what changes your mind all of a sudden, chéri?"

"I didn't change my mind about anything…you did." Nicole corrected, "You think that doing all this to me is just fine. You're becoming corrupted, more so than before."

"Corrupted?" Damien frowned, "I think not. Your view of corrupted is completely different from mine. I am perfectly alright, but you, however, are not. We need to fix your little problem, chéri."

"No! You need to fix _your_ problem! This is getting way out of hand!"

Damien hissed, baring his teeth. "No need to repeat yourself. I've heard you loud and clear. Tell me that I have a problem once more, then I will rip out your tongue with my bare hands!" he warned.

Nicole gasped. "Y-You wouldn't do such a thing!"

"Try me." Damien snarled as he suddenly stopped dancing, "You are pushing your luck too far, ma squatine. I am not in the mood for your little games. I might as well put you to sleep if you're going to keeping acting like this." He pinned her against a nearby wall, gripping her arms and wrapping more tentacles around her legs. "There is nothing wrong with me! Why does everyone say that I have problems and issues? I'm a good guy. What will it take for you to be convinced? You must trust me, chéri! Why do you not trust me?"

"S-Stop, Damien! P-Please!"

"ANSWER MY QUESTION!"

"I don't know!"

"How could you not know? We've known each other for a while now, oui?" Damien asked while his left eye started to twitch.

"Well, yeah, but-"

"BUT WHAT?" Damien bellowed, "ARE YOU GOING TO QUESTION ME FURTHER?"

"But…" Nicole's lower lip quivered.

"Are you still…questioning me?"

Nicole shook her head. "N-No! I'm not…it's just that…"

"What is it? You look like you're lying to me."

"I'm not lying at all!"

Damien narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "I see what it is now."

"W-What?" Nicole blinked in confusion.

"You're…turning against me."

"Wait! It's not what you think!"

"IT IS WHAT I THINK! I should have seen this coming. I knew it! You never really liked me at all." Damien grimaced, "You were only pretending to like me."

"Damien…that's not true! I'm just worried that you'll go insane and I'm scared out of my mind!"

"See? There you go again! You're calling me a freak who doesn't have sanity!" Damien accused, drooling from the mouth, "You're just paranoid! That's right, chéri, you're the one making all this up! You think that I'm losing it and that I'm out of control! Well, that is false! Who is telling you all these ridiculous lies? It's it Jèrèmie?"

"NO! It's not-! Wait, why did you want me to tell my feelings for him when you apparently hate him?"

"Well, you see, chéri, I wanted you to say your feelings for him so you can be more confident about yourself. Once you were confident enough, you would have been able to talk about your feelings about me. But it did not go as planned, unfortunately. All Jèrèmie told you were lies about how monstrous and vicious I am!" Damien explained.

"He is not telling me any lies!"

"You still trust him that much, don't you? Well, let's see how much you trust him after _I'm_ through with you!" Damien cackled maliciously.

"D-Don't hurt him! I care about him!" Nicole cried out.

"So you admit it! You love him!"

"Wha-? That's not what I'm-!"

Damien slapped her across the face with the back of his hand. "Enough! Just…stop lying to me. I already know everything, so it's completely useless for you to lie continually."

"Why are you…d-doing this to me?" Nicole sobbed.

"Why shouldn't I? I must show order and my dominance somehow, and this is the most affective way. Don't you see that it is working? I'm in control right now, chéri, and I always will be."

"I want you to stop."

"Give me one good reason why I should. You are obeying me, I am on top of things, and there is nothing that is in my way. So, do you see why I should stop?" Damien asked, with an evil glare.

Nicole thought for a moment. "You're hurting people…"

Damien chuckled. "Some justice is better than no justice at all."

"I'm begging you! Stop this right now! This will end in a disaster! Why aren't you listening to me?" Nicole demanded.

Damien slapped her across the face again. "What part of 'do _not_ question me' do you not understand? It is like your asking for pain and misery!" he hissed and tightened his grip. "We are wasting time! I'm going to have to act now." He started to undo his tie. "What do you prefer? Should we start with a kiss, or should I just go full out?"

Nicole grimaced with a chill running down her spine. "No, D-Damien! Don't even think about it!"

Damien frowned, unbuttoning his suit. "Think about what? Why so worried, ma squatine? I won't make you pregnant."

Nicole blinked. "Huh?"

"I only have one tentacle with the reproductive system, while the rest are…neutral, should I say." One of Damien's tentacles lifted up and coiled around her throat, massaging it with its sticky, fleshy-pink suction cups.

Nicole looked down at the slimy limb in repulsion. "Is that your 'special tentacle'?"

Damien sneered. "Oui, it is. How did you know? Fortunately for you," he said as he let the 'special' tentacle slide back down off from her, "I will not be using it. I have other purposes for you."

"So I'm your plaything? A sex toy?" Nicole inquired, struggling to break free from his slippery clutches.

"I would rather call you 'my pretty little doll'." Damien answered, unbuttoning the shirt underneath the coat exposing his chest. "Now, where should I start?" a few tentacles crept up in Nicole's shirt.

Nicole squeaked. "N-No! Damien! Please, stop! Let's not start this at all! I would rather die!"

Damien's mouth curled into an unpleasant, disturbing grin. "Careful what you wish for, sweetheart."

Nicole quickly closed her mouth, regretting the words she had just picked.

"It doesn't matter anyway, I have no need of what you think. It's about having my pleasure time with you. So don't ruin it for me, or I will make it worse." He pulled her close, wrapping his arms around her. "You're…shaking. What for? Is there something wrong?"

"Let me go…" Nicole wept, trembling in his arms.

"You should know very well that I won't. So take it easy, ma amour, and relax." Damien suggested, "I will take care of the rest. This won't take long." A few more tentacles slipped into the pants, squirming and writing in.

"Whoa! Whoa! D-Damien! No! Please! Anything but this!" Nicole gasped, trying to pull back.

Damien's tentacles constricted. "Ah, my dearest little girl, you have no choice. This is what I must do. It's the only way to make me happy and complete. It's always enjoyable to see victims, like you, tremble in fright before me. You poor child, you will have no one else to turn to but me."

"You…m-monster! How could you? I thought you promised that you would change into a better man. But apparently, you gave up."

"You have no idea how hard my life is." Damien glared viciously. "You think that miraculous changing can happen in a split of a second, but it doesn't. I am who I am, ma petite squatine. I am a savage, blood-thirsty, cruel TentaSpy, and there is nothing that you can do to alter my ways." He wrapped his arms around her, leaning towards her pressing his lips against hers.

Nicole's eyes widened in shock as she felt his tongue slip into her mouth. She constantly thrashed about. She bit his tongue in defense, only to have the tentacles squeeze her in response. With no other choice, she surrendered to him and his gruesome actions.

Damien purred of content as his tentacles searched in her pants. A single tentacle patted gently in-between her legs as it explored. As for the snake-like limbs around in her shirt, they coiled and massaged her breasts carefully. His claws dug into her skin as he held her tightly and close to him.

Suddenly, the sound of the front door slamming open interrupted. The two looked over to see the BLU Spy by the entrance, looking more shocked and panicked than ever.


	56. BLU Spy Encounters TentaSpy

_Author's Note: Surprise! An extra update before I go! Here's the Anonymous Review Reply!_

_**ducky**- Awww. :( I'm sorry. But I have the next chapter! So don't cry anymore! Thanks for the review!_

_**Animed2Fox**- ...I don't know what you're trying to say. I'm sorry. I'm doing my very best. I hopefully will return very soon. Thanks for the review! Leon: That's what frightening with Damien. He seems calm now...but wait until he catches the scent of fresh blood. Then, all hell will break loose._

_**Fred the Fish**- No, tenta-rape is not fun at all. 0_0 Really? Huh. Yup, more _The Shining _references. ^_^ Yeah, Kyle's in a deep situation right now. He doesn't like any BLU member, but he cares for Nicole...You're just going to have to find out what happens next. Thanks for the review!_

_**Bearybeary**- YES! Jeremie is a hero! :D I will answer you're questions once I start updating again. Thanks for the review!_

_And now, here's the next chapter! Enjoy, everyone! I will try to get back on Fan-Fiction ASAP! Thanks for everything, readers! I appreciate everything that you do! ^_^ I hope to come back soon!_

* * *

"NOOOO!" Jèrèmie cried, "LET HER GO!"

Damien turned away from the BLU Spy, buttoning back his shirt and coat. He kept silent as he put back on his tie.

"ANSWER ME, YOU MONSTER!" Jèrèmie demanded, taking out his Ambassador.

Without warning, Damien grabbed Nicole as he turned to face Jèrèmie again. He covered her mouth with one hand while unfolding his butterfly knife and pressing it against her neck with the other. "M'sieur Jèrèmie," the TentaSpy smile curled crookedly, "I welcome you. Did you think that I would harm her? Why would I make her pay for the sins which are _yours_?" a tentacle coiled around her wrists, keeping Nicole secure in his grip.

"Enough of this! I want you to release her now! She doesn't have to go through this!" Jèrèmie pleaded.

"You want her so badly?" Damien shoved her away to Jèrèmie. "Well here, take her!"

Jèrèmie raced up to her, wrapping his arms around her. "Nicole! Are you alright?"

"J-Jèrèmie…help…" Nicole sobbed weakly.

"I'm so sorry that this all happened. Damien was the one that stopped me and came to you as me. It's my fault for not being on my guard. I promise I'll get you out of here as soon as possible."

"NOT SO FAST, YOU SUBNORMAL HALFWIT!" Damien yelled, lunging at the two.

"LOOK OUT!" Jèrèmie gasped, pushing Nicole out of the way. Before he could move out of the way, tentacles snatched him, dragging him towards Damien.

"JÈRÈMIE!" Nicole screamed, feeling unable to help the BLU Spy.

Damien gripped the Spy as he placed the knife on his throat. "Tell me something, mon ami," he whispered in Jèrèmie's ear, "Do you fear the loss of a soul that's important to you?"

"W-What are you talking about?" Jèrèmie demanded.

"Would you like to find out what it feels like to lose everything so fast? How does it feel now to be the victim?"

"Damien, let go of him! Please don't hurt Jèrèmie!" Nicole begged.

"Let's make this more interesting, shall we?" Damien chuckled, "Chéri, why don't you pick his fate for him?"

Nicole blinked in surprise. "What do you mean?"

"If you chose to stay with me and be my precious mate, I will let Jèrèmie go unharmed and alive. If you don't, I will bring him to a slow and painful death." Damien explained, constricting the Spy with his tentacles.

"NO!" Nicole gasped, "DON'T KILL HIM!"

"Then you must be with me…forever."

"But…"

"But what? Don't you want your precious Jèrèmie to live?" Damien questioned, "After all, you care about him. So it should be logical to come with me."

"I…" Nicole hesitated, shuffling her feet on the concrete floor.

Damien pressed the knife against Jèrèmie's throat. "You are trying my patience. Make a choice. It's not that hard." He hissed.

"Nicole! Just get out of here! I'll be fine!" Jèrèmie said, trying to pry his way out from the net of tentacles, "Please! Don't trust him! Just stay away from him!"

"ENOUGH FROM YOU!" Damien snapped, with his tentacles squeezing Jèrèmie a bit.

"Wait…Will you promise to let Jèrèmie go if I go with you?" Nicole inquired.

Damien sneered. "But of course. I am a man of my word. I promise that he will be safe, my child."

Nicole thought for a moment, focusing blankly at the floor. "Just…please let him go. I'll…I'll do anything y-you…ask."

Damien cackled, releasing Jèrèmie from his slimy clutches and shoved him away. "Good, very good, chéri. Come a little closer, ma petite squatine."

Little by little, Nicole inched her way towards the TentaSpy, trying not to look into his crazed eyes.

"No! Nicole!" Jèrèmie raced over towards her. "Just run and get away! I'll be alright, just stay away from him!"

"I would stay away from her if I was you, m'sieur Jèrèmie." Damien growled, taking his Revolver and pointing it at the Spy.

Jèrèmie frowned. "Why should I worry when I have my own gun?" he reached into his coat pocket, only to find an empty one. "What the-?"

Damien laughed. "Did you think that you would still have your weapons?" a few of his tentacles lifted to show the BLU Spy's guns and knife. "How foolish of you. Now, step away from my new mate, m'sieur."

Jèrèmie took a few steps back from Nicole, giving Damien a dark, hateful glare. "Don't make her go through this!"

"You have no say in this, m'sieur Jèrèmie. So leave, ma petite squatine decided to buy your freedom with her own, use it wisely. Now, if you don't mind, I have certain business to attend to." Damien hissed, putting an arm around Nicole as she approached him. He put away his gun and the tentacles dropped Jèrèmie's weapons and placed them aside.

Keeping her mouth closed, Nicole turned to Jèrèmie and gave him an apologetic glance.

"It's too late to show pity, chéri!" Damien growled as he spun Nicole around to face him, "Look at me and understand your destiny. It will be eternity of _these_…" he picked up one of the tentacles and waved it in her face. "…before you! So get used to my tentacles! I'm very sure they will certainly do the same for you." He laughed wickedly.

"What about-?" Nicole tried to ask.

"Forget about that mindless fool! He's far behind us now!" Damien interrupted, putting his tentacle back down.

"Can I see my friends and family if we're going to be…'t-together'?"

Damien narrowed his golden eyes. "You shall live with me in _my_ sewers! No exceptions! We'll both go down to the darkest pits and coldest crypts of my mind. You will see that it is dark and torturous as _hell_!"

"I don't want to go in that direction! Give me another chance, please!" Nicole begged.

"Didn't I tell you before? It's far too late for turning back, no more prayers and worthless pity! You belong to me, now, chéri, and I'll make sure that it will be this way for the rest of our lives."

"This isn't what I asked for!"

"But you did! You said you would do anything if Jèrèmie was to go free. Now that he's free, you must do exactly what I say." Damien ordered.

"What kind of monster are you, m'sieur?" Jèrèmie demanded, "If you keep acting like this, you could possibly kill her!"

"I don't tend to harm her in any way, fool!" Damien snarled at the Spy, "Do you honestly think that I would hurt this sweet and innocent girl? I love her dearly and I will take good care of her while she's with me. Did you care for her as much as I do? No, you did not. Where were you when she was beaten mercilessly by that RED Spy? Nowhere. I was there to comfort her, but you weren't." his evil grin widened, "Do you see it now, m'sieur Jèrèmie? This proves that I am the better man for her. While I visited her every chance I got, you cowered at the base for most of your time."

"Unlike you, I did not scare her, bite her, kidnap her, torture her, or attempt to rape her!"

"Ah, but it's for a good cause. I need her so I can be happy again." Damien explained.

"For a good cause?" Jèrèmie blinked in complete shock. "What you are doing is being selfish, taking her as your own! This isn't right!"

"Is that what everyone is saying now? I am a bad guy now?" Damien hissed, "Is this how it's going to be? Me as the cruel villain with the hero's girl? Am I the malevolent creature that steals the beautiful princess from the handsome prince? Is it me who causes things to go wrong? Am I to be the scapegoat?" He took his gun out from his coat and pointed it at the Spy once again. "Not this time. It's you that will be punished by justice!"

"NO! YOU PROMISED THAT YOU WOULDN'T HURT-!" Nicole screamed, only to have a tentacle wrap over her mouth.

"That's not exactly what I promised, sweetheart." Damien sneered at Nicole. "I promised that I would let Jèrèmie go free. Oui, he will go free, but in a different way."

"You wouldn't dare! You know that we cannot respawn in this time period!" Jèrèmie shouted.

Damien cackled. "Do you realize how long I have been waiting to do this? Up until now, I have forgotten about me killing you. Now, it has come to this. Once you are out of the way for good, Mademoiselle Nicole will be mine. So, any last words you would like to say to us before I blow your head clean off, Jèrèmie?"

Jèrèmie heavily sighed. "Just don't hurt her…"

Damien laughed. "Such pathetic words, m'sieur. Why couldn't you think of something better? Too bad, it would have been a lot more memorable if the last words were heartbreaking and meaningful." he placed a finger over the trigger. "Au revoir, you pathetic fool. I cannot wait to satisfy my thirst with your own blood."


	57. One Big Fight

_Author's Note: HELLO! GUESS WHO'S BACK? :D Sorry it took a little while, but I'm here once again to continue! Here's the Anonymous Review Reply!_

_**ducky**- I'm sorry that the last cliffhanger was so evil. But I'm here once again to update. So there's nothing to worry about anymore! :D Thanks for the review!_

_**Animed2Fox**- Yup, and the action is yet to come. ^_^ Thanks for the review! Leon: ...Oh merde! It's worse than I thought!_

_And now, here's the next chapter! Enjoy everyone! :D_

* * *

"BOINK!"

Damien collapsed as a baseball slammed against his back, releasing Nicole from his slimy grasp. He turned around to see yet another familiar face not too far behind him.

"HEY, FREAK SHOW! GET AWAY FROM HER! SHE'S LIKE A LITTLE SISTER TO ME!" The RED Scout shouted angrily, waving his baseball bat.

"You little pest!" Damien hissed, trying to get back up, "Wait until I get a hold on you, boy!"

"NICOLE! FREAKIN' RUN FOR IT!" Jake yelled.

With no hesitation, Nicole took off like a speeding bullet towards Jèrèmie. "Are you okay?"

The BLU Spy smiled at her. "Oui, I am alright. Convincing, wasn't it?"

Nicole blinked in confusion. "What are you talking about?"

"I used up as much time as possible, allowing the RED Team to set themselves up for the ambush."

"You mean you actually planned the whole thing?"

"I tried, but I made most of it up as I went along." Jèrèmie smiled sheepishly. "It was really difficult for me when Damien captured me. I thought that the ideas were not going to work."

"C'mon, fish-face!" Jake taunted, running circles around Damien, "Ya can't catch me, squid-guy! I'm faster than a speedin' bullet!"

"I'll soon find out…" Damien sneered as he tripped Jake with one of his tentacles.

Jake fell forward on his knees. "Hey! Uncalled for, dude!" his frustration quickly turned to horror as a snaky limb twisted around his ankle. "WHOA! WHOA! WHOA! This isn't cool! Let go of me, you creep!"

Damien dragged his newest victim towards him, hanging him upside down by the Scout's leg. "Oh, wait, I thought you wanted me to see how fast you are." he chuckled menacingly.

Jake's face instantly paled. "Uh, no freakin' way! HELP! SOMEONE? A-ANYONE? I'M ABOUT TO BE TENTA-RAPED, HERE!" he shouted, waving his arms about in a panic.

"Hang on, partner, I'm coming!" Bill shouted, running up from behind and smacking the TentaSpy on the shoulder with his trusted wrench.

Damien immediately released Jake and faced the Engineer, snarling in pain. "YOU FOOL! How dare you interrupt me!"

"Quit your whining and take it like a man. Oh, wait…you're not really a man, are you?" Bill snickered.

Damien hissed and showed his sharp teeth. "You will all pay for your mistakes!"

"Haven't we already dealt with you, mister?" Bill frowned, "'Cause I'm tired and sick of dealing with yella'-bellied cowards like you!"

Damien growled, steadily making his way towards Bill. "It's a funny thing…I haven't eaten anything in a while. You'll have to do."

"Good luck with that, little feller…" Bill smirked.

Damien stopped, suspicious with Bill's words. He suddenly caught the Sniper behind him with the corner of his eye, barely avoiding the Kukri by lunging back.

"Hold still, ya bloody wankah! It'll go by faster if ya stay in one spot!" Benny explained, waving the blade towards Damien.

Damien glared, keeping his distance from both Bill and Benny. "Go. Leave. I will not tolerate such nonsense. This was supposed to be _my_ personal business!"

"No one does personal business on our good friend, ya mongrel." Benny warned, pointing the Kukri at Damien, "And for tryin' to do that, you'll make a nice trophy in my van."

"You think that'll stop me from getting to my prize? Insolent humans, you know nothing." Damien grinned, keeping his eye on Nicole. "She belongs to me, so why should it be a crime? I promise not to harm her and she will keep me company. It's that simple. Oh, and if you are wondering, Mademoiselle Nicole could possibly die if we keep fighting like this."

Everyone was in silence, stunned and confused by his words.

Damien smiled crookedly again. "Why so quiet, gentlemen? Did you think that I would be out of the way for good?" he laughed mockingly, "What imbeciles would ever think of something like that? Absurd! I am here for ma petite squatine, and no one is going to be in my way."

"INCOMING!" The Soldier yelled, shooting a rocket towards Damien, "YOU ARE A MUTANT MAGGOT, HATCHED FROM A MUTANT MAGGOT EGG, YOU SCUM-SUCKING WORM!"

Damien leapt out of the way, focusing on Kyle on the stairs. "I see that the army is getting bigger. No matter, I shall take them all out one by one, starting with the Soldier. I'll bury his bones in the tomb of the unskilled soldier once I finish consuming him," he said to himself.

"Today's a good day to kill! And you, fish maggot, are on my killing list!" Kyle smirked, aiming his rocket launcher towards Damien.

"You should realize by now that it's hard to find a man that is nearly impossible to see." Damien smiled, disappearing in his cloak. "_Well then, come and get me_…"

Upon hearing the TentaSpy's beckoning words, Pyro rushed in with his flamethrower, spewing flames all over in order to flush him out. He muffled and giggled happily, excited to see the enemy combust.

But so far, there was nothing as the flames withered away. Damien was still nowhere in plain sight.

"You think that the calamari dude would be in flames by now…but why isn't he? There's no water he can hide in." Jake pouted, "This is freakin' impossible!"

"He's a tricky mongrel, mate," Benny explained, scanning the area with extreme caution, "I know he ain't gonna give up that easily."

"What are we goin' to do then, Snipes?" Jake asked.

"We wait…"

Jèrèmie took the opportunity to bring Nicole to a safer place to hide while he and the RED Team fought of the monstrous creature. "You stay here until we come and get you." he pointed over at a row of crates.

Nicole nodded in understanding. "O-Okay…but what if he finds me?"

"There's no need to worry, we are here to protect you."

Before Nicole could say anything, she spotted Damien decloaking and racing towards her. She instinctively clung on to Jèrèmie for protection.

But reaching only a few feet away from her, Damien came to a halt as syringes came flying towards him. He backed away, dodging each syringe, and faced the Medic towards his left.

"SCHWIENHUND! I VILL ZAW THROUGH YOUR BONES IF YOU TOUCH ZE FRAULEIN!" Klaus hissed, putting away his Syringe Gun and taking out his Bonesaw.

"HA! You cannot defeat me, even with your colleges helping you!" Damien smirked, lunging himself at Klaus and slashing towards his face.

Klaus jumped back, avoiding the sharp claws behind the gloves. "Ztay back, creature Zpy! I vill make it vorse for you if you keep zhis up!"

"HERE I COME!" the Heavy roared, stampeding with his beloved minigun. "I AM BULLET-PROOF! RUN, COWARD, RUN! SASHA WILL GET YOU! HA HA HA HA HA!" he laughed as he fired the gun at Damien.

Damien immediately took shelter behind the door of a simple closet as he rushed inside.

"Little squid-man cannot hide forever inside itty-bitty closet! I'M COMING FOR YOU!" Boleslav shouted, still firing at the door of the closet.

Jèrèmie gently pushed Nicole towards the crates. "Hide, now!"

Nicole climbed over the crates and crouched down. "I'm sorry I can't be of any help…"

"It's alright, let us do our job, chéri, and you'll be fine." the BLU Spy noticed his weapons still on the ground in the middle of the room. "I'll be right back." he said as he ran over to retrieve his weapons.

Boleslav's firing ceased. "Is squid-man dead?" he asked.

"I vill go and zee for myself, Herr Boleslav." Klaus volunteered, carefully making his way towards the battered door. Holding the Bonesaw close, he slowly opened the door and peaked inside. "Vell, I don't zee him zo far…" he announced.

"Where did squid-man go, Doctor?" Boleslav asked.

"I not zo zure, Herr Boleslav…"

While Boleslav and Klaus searched in the closet, Bill, Kyle, Benny, Jake, and Jèrèmie watched for any signs of the decloaking TentaSpy.

Suddenly, muffled screams interrupted the rescue group as Damien was dragging Nicole away towards the back door. Before the team could advance towards them, the monster turned around and held his butterfly knife up to her throat. "I will spill all of her blood if you shoot at me again!" he cackled with a crazed gleam in his revolting, bloodshot eyes.

That's when the Demoman stepped up towards Damien, with his Grenade Launcher in hand. "And if ya leave, I'll blow ye to bloody bits and put 'em in a soup can, devil!"

Damien hissed, clutching Nicole in his tentacles. "And what if I don't let go of Nicole?" he asked.

"Then I'll make sure that Hell will glue ye back togetha', ya slippery, alley-skulking backstabber!" Angus growled, trading his Launcher for the Eyelander. "And this will get the job done quickly!"

Damien laughed. "M'sieur Demoman, do you honestly believe that you will defeat me? After losing to me twice in a row, you think that coming back for a third round is going to guarantee a win?"

Angus smirked. "They say that the third time's always the charm, boyo. And look at ya, you're completely outnumbered. Whadd'ya got ta say now, ye bloody snake?"

Damien hissed, bringing Nicole closer to him. "You will all see that I will dominate all of you! You have no chance of winning against me!"

"That's because you haven't looked behind you yet."

Damien glanced back to see Léon with a knife in hand. He pulled back just in time before the RED Spy tried to stab him. "How foolish, m'sieur. Why would you think that I was oblivious enough to get knifed in the back?"

"At least you were oblivious enough to allow Nicole to be rescued." Léon sneered.

Damien blinked to see Nicole suddenly free from his grip and looked over towards his right to see Jèrèmie with her by his side. He hissed angrily at Léon as he pounced on him and fastened to the floor with his tentacles. "How does it feel to be on the bottom?" he chuckled, "Does it feel good to you? Do you like it?"

"Non! Get…off of me!" Léon gasped, struggling from underneath the mass of tentacles all over him.

"How do you like it now, imbecile?" Damien laughed manically, "Do you enjoy being raped? I promised Mademoiselle Nicole that I will punish you in the cruelest manner for your horrible and selfish deeds!"

"I'm not like that anymore!" Léon begged, "I've changed!"

"HA! How do you know that for sure? Well, at least I can pry the truth from your lifeless hands once I'm finished with you!"

Léon spotted his knife a few inches from where he was held down, and it was luckily within his reach. Prying one of his arms from under the pile of tentacles, he desperately reached for his knife.

"Not so fast, m'sieur!" Damien growled, seizing Léon's arm with one of the long and slippery limbs.

"Hey! Leave him alone, Damien!" Nicole cried out, racing towards them to aid the RED Spy.

Quickly, Damien glanced over at her, staring coldly with his golden-yellow, reptilian eyes.

Instantly, Nicole stopped in her tracks, finding herself unable to move. "I'm stuck! Why am I stuck?"

Damien sneered. "Haven't you figured it out, chéri? It's rather dangerous to look deep into the eyes of a TentaSpy because you find yourself frozen and incapable of escaping. I'll be with you in a moment, dear. Just let me finish with this pathetic excuse of a Spy and we'll pick up where we last left off."

As if out from nowhere, Jèrèmie punched the TentaSpy on the left side of his face. "Enough! Enough! ENOUGH!" he shouted. "You touch Nicole one more time and I will make sure that you are imprisoned in those _damn_ sewers for the rest of your miserable life!"

Damien slithered back and off Léon. He snarled and moaned, shaking his head in order to focus and ignore the pain. "There's always more than one way to get away, idiot."

Jèrèmie punched him square in the face. "You have gone way too far, monster! This is for biting Nicole!" he snapped as he jammed his fist into Damien's right cheek.

Damien was blown back from the force of the hit, but remained standing. "Is that the best you got?"

"This is for kidnapping her!" Jèrèmie bellowed, slamming another fist to Damien's face.

Damien wiped the blood that was trickling from his mouth. "Blind anger can only go so far, m'sieur Jèrèmie."

"And this is for forcing her to suffer through all the torture you brought upon her!" Jèrèmie's fury continued as he gave Damien uppercuts, jabs, and fist-poundings.

Damien tried to defend himself by holding his arms up in front of his head. However, the BLU Spy found a way to nail him each time. It was as if he was completely defenseless against the merciless rage. And finally, when he couldn't take it any longer, the TentaSpy collapsed to the ground with his arms twitching in pain. "Alright…alright…I had enough…"

Jèrèmie lowered his fists and arched an eyebrow. "You surrender then?"

"…Oui…oui, just don't beat me to a bloody pulp anymore…"

"No tricks?"

Damien frowned, his right eye trembling. "Does it look like I have any left?"

"I think you should realize by now that beating you to a bloody carcass was the least of your problems. I, as well as the rest of us, have some different suggestions in mind." With a wave of his hand, the Sniper and Demoman hoisted the creature up and gripped the arms.

"Just what do you think your doing?" Damien demanded.

"I now understand that I should have killed you when we first defeated you back in those disgusting sewers you call home. You broke your promise to not sexually abuse Nicole anymore and this time, you won't be so fortunate. But how should we rid of you properly? My original plan was to stab straight through your heart, but I'll be willing to hear other suggestions from my comrades."

Damien could only growl and bare his sharp teeth with blood dripping down his mouth, watching the BLU Spy tighten his fists as he stood towering above him.

The rest of the RED Team joined Jèrèmie's side, surrounding the TentaSpy with weapons galore. "How 'bout we blind fold 'im and shoot him a bunch of times?" Jake suggested.

"Nah, too original, mate." Benny shook his head at the Scout. "Let's say we cut each of his limbs off and make him eat 'em and with the ol' chop-chop, we'll kill the blasted mongrel! I'll be glad to use my kukri." he grinned.

"Nay, let's blow the bloody snake to pieces and dump 'em in the river. That'll make it quick and easy." Angus chuckled, "'The sooner, the better' is what I say."

"Nein, I zay ve give him ze lethal injection and zaw him in half, ja?" Klaus' semi-wicked smile suddenly appeared.

"Squid man should have bullets shoved down his throat by Sasha! She'll be glad to help!" Boleslav said with a hearty laugh.

Pyro muffled, hoisting up his flamethrower and snickering like a maniac.

"May I suggest we slice his throat? That's always fast and gets the least amount of blood on suits." Léon snickered.

"Just pick somethin', fellas, I ain't gonna wait all day just to terminate some vermin." Bill complained.

"Alright, alright," Jèrèmie sighed, shaking his head in frustration. "Soldier, do you have anything to say?"

Kyle thought for a quick moment. "I tell ya what, French maggot, let's blow him up, and if he lives, we'll blow him up again and we'll bury him and let maggots finish him off."

Meanwhile, Nicole stood aside from the group, watching the scene unfold. She was reminded of how dangerous they could truly be. It had surprised her to see them all violent, especially with Jèrèmie.

Damien sighed, lowering his head. "It's always the same, isn't it? I've always have been hunted down and punished for my actions. There has been no compassion from any of you…" he shifted his eyes towards the girl, "Except for her…She's the only one who showed true compassion towards me."

Jèrèmie took a quick glance at Nicole before glaring back at the TentaSpy. "She trusted you, Damien, until you betrayed her and nearly harmed and raped her. You should be ashamed of yourself."

"I…am. There's something I must explain."

"Explain what?" Jèrèmie bellowed with his anger rising, "Explain that you are indeed a cold-blooded creature who preys upon the weak and defenseless like Mademoiselle Nicole? You are a sick and twisted fiend, Damien, and we shall dispose of you quickly. M'sieur Soldier, finish him off for us." he ordered towards Kyle.

Kyle smirked. "With pleasure, Frenchie." he held up his rocket launcher and stepped forward. "Say 'goodbye' to this cruel world, you mutant maggot!"

Nicole gasped, running up towards the group. "No! Wait! Give Damien another chance!" she suddenly pleaded.

Everyone gave her the confused and frustrated stare. "Aw, c'mon, Nicole!" Jake whined, "We did that last time, and all this crap happened! We are so not takin' any more freakin' chances!"

"Quit being weak, Miss Maggot! You need to toughen it up and move on!" Kyle growled in annoyance.

"But…I think I know why he did what he did." Nicole tried to clarify.

"I'm sorry, chéri, but we need to do this…it's for your own good." Jèrèmie said, with an apologetic expression. "Attend to her, m'sieur Klaus."

The Medic nodded and stood by Nicole's side. "Trust us, fraulein, ve are dealing vith a heartless creature who needs to be taken care of for good. If ve let him live, he vill try to harm you again."

"Klaus! Listen to me! I can explain everything if you just let me!"

"It's makes no bloody sense, lassie. Why do you keep trying to help the devil?" Angus asked.

"It's just that…" Nicole hesitated, "…I know something about him that you don't. If you kill him, it would mean-"

"Save it for later," The Soldier interrupted abruptly, "We have some killing to do!" he aimed his launcher towards Damien."

"No! Wait!" Nicole begged, but she was pulled into the arms of Klaus.

"Just don't look fraulein. It would be less painful if you don't vatch." the Medic explained, turning her away from the execution.


	58. An Unpredicted End

_Author's Note: Here's the Anonymous Review Reply!_

_**Animed2Fox**- Thanks! The "truth of war"? What did that mean? I'm sorry for not understanding. But thanks for the review! Leon: Oui, I don't know what to do with that monster..._

_**Scarlet Pumpernickel**- I'm really glad that you liked POTF a lot. Yeah, I understand the mistakes I have made in this story. And with the pattern that you saw, I put that there intentionally, thinking that it was a good lay-out of the story. Don't worry, I am not mad or offended. I actually appreciate the criticism and it will help me improve while writing future stories. I'm really quite happy that you are honest and not ranting. I put that "Shining Parady" for fun, also showing a huge spike in Damien's insanity (which was the purpose of that chapter). Yeah, POTF was a good story...but I will try to edit that story as well as this one, correcting my mistakes and adding better detail and such. I do understand my flaws, and I hope to fix them once this story is done. Thanks for the review and the advice, I am sincerely grateful._

_Anyway, here's the next chapter! Enjoy everyone!_

* * *

"Daddy? Are you here? Where are you, Daddy?"

Each head turned towards the child's voice coming from the back door. While the two young TentaSpies poked their little heads from the door, the others stood motionlessly. Benny and Angus released their grips on Damien.

The little TentaSpy with bright red eyes, dark-gray tentacles with same-colored suit and mask waddled up to the REDs. "Who are you? What are you doing to Daddy?" he asked innocently.

The other boy with lighter gray tentacles, suit and mask instantly rushed up to his father. "Daddy? Are you okay?"

With a small grin, Damien nodded slowly. "I'll be alright, Dimitri…"

"But…your hurt, Daddy…you don't look okay."

The darker gray TentaSpy looked up at the Soldier and tugged at his red coat. "Hey, mister, why are you pointing that at Daddy?"

Kyle lowered his rocket launcher. "Uh…you see, kid…I can't really explain why…" he paused awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck.

The boy started to tear up and whimper. "Were you…going to kill Daddy?"

The Soldier remained silent.

"Seth…it's alright, son. Just come over here and don't worry about the others."

Seth obeyed as he came to Damien's side. "Please don't hurt Daddy, Mister…" he begged towards Kyle, clutching his father's suit.

Jèrèmie stared blankly at all three TentaSpies. "You're a father, Damien?"

Damien nodded. "I have been for a while. That's why I haven't been bothering you up until now."

Jèrèmie looked over at Nicole. "You knew about this, didn't you?"

Nicole sighed as she smiled with guilt in her eyes. "Yeah…he told me about a week ago or so." she answered.

Dimitri glanced over to see Nicole by the Medic. "Aunt Nikki's here, Daddy!" he pointed as he smiled and giggled a little.

Damien's weak smile grew. "Oui, she sure is."

"Fraulein…vere you going to tell us zhis?" Klaus asked.

"I tried, but you guys were about to…" Nicole glanced over at the two children before continuing, "…hurt Damien."

Jèrèmie crossed his arms. "This is quite…unexpected. Damien, if you had children of your own, why did you try making Nicole a mate?"

After a long pause, Damien hugged his kids and gently pushed them forward. "Go see Aunt Nikki for a while, okay?"

Both Dimitri and Seth rushed up to Nicole and hugged her legs. "Come on, Aunt Nikki, let's go play!" Dimitri squealed of delight.

"Please, Aunt Nikki? Can you play with us?" Set tugged on her jeans and laughed.

"Alright, but we got to take it upstairs, okay?" Nicole suggested, guiding to two towards the stairs.

"Okay, Aunt Nikki!" Both of the small TentaSpies replied with big grins on their faces.

The REDs and Jèrèmie could not keep their eyes of Damien. It baffled them all to see two adorable boys to belong to what appeared to a cruel and sick monster. Once Nicole and the children left, they looked back at Damien for a good explanation. "M'sieur Damien, how do you even have children when you're nothing but a vicious creature according to us?" Jèrèmie questioned.

"That's the thing…I cannot control my behaviors since I lost…her." Damien's smile vanished.

"Who?"

"My original mate, the mother of my only two sons. Her name was Rose…she was the most beautiful woman I met. Disguised as a human, I spent precious time with her. I loved her, and it looked like she did too with me as well. But…one night, when I showed her my true form." Damien began to quiver, tightening his fists and tentacles curled and twisted. "She…rejected me."

"Uh, I hate to interrupt, dude, but where exactly did the kids come from?" Jake asked, putting his two hands behind his back and nervously shifting around.

Damien glared at the Scout. "I gave her no other choice."

Jake frowned, taking a step back. "Oh…I, um, see…That's a little awkward."

"Well, you see, M'sieur Damien? Does that prove that you prey on the weak?" Jèrèmie inquired with an arched eyebrow.

"She only loved me for who I wasn't…She betrayed me and broke my heart. I couldn't let her get away with it. After she gave birth, she died a moment later." a single tear slid down Damien's face. "She never said that she truly loved me…"

"But why try to dominate Nicole?" Jake questioned.

"I CANNOT HELP IT, ALRIGHT?" Damien shouted, baring his sharp teeth. But in a spilt second, his rage turned to remorse and he buried his face in his hands as he started to sob softly. "My instincts tell me that I must fill in the empty hole in my heart. All I want is to be accepted…to be loved for who I am. I will do just about anything to find someone who will love my family and I."

"What instincts are you talking about?" Léon asked.

"As you can tell, I am not fully human. So I have these animalistic impulses, the feelings that I cannot fight back. I tried to hard to control myself, but the instincts had always proved to be stronger, turning me into a mindless creature that will stop at nothing to get what I need." Damien continued to explain, "It was extremely difficult to think thoroughly what I was doing and I lost my real senses, causing to hurt those I cared about. I now realize that I was neglecting my two children while I pursued my needs. I was completely selfish, just like Jèrèmie said before."

"Are you trying to be sappy so you can live another day, maggot?" Kyle finally spoke, trying to sound unmoved.

"Before I met you gentlemen and Nicole, it was true that I was a monster, terrorizing and torturing my victims before eating them. But after the first incident with Nicole, it had suddenly crossed my mind that she was the first to care about me. So I went after it so I can feel it again, and now look where I stand…Everything feels so conflicting, with my uncontrollable desires and my dangerous lusts that hurt others." Damien lifted his head and glimpsed at the men surrounding him. "But if you must, go ahead and kill me. You see me as a threat. I probably am one…even to my own sons…So I am no use to this world."  
Jèrèmie approached Damien and knelt beside him. "Why didn't you ask for help?"

"I… I don't know how. I not really good with socializing with humans, apparently." Damien grimaced.

"Maybe you need a little more time. Spend time with us, we'll try to help you as best as we can. And if you start to lose control, we will be there to help you regain it."

"What if I hurt you or the others?" Damien inquired.

"Don't worry about hurting us. Just come to any of us if you need support."

Damien smiled, but it quickly disappeared. "I'm…so sorry…for what I have done. I probably lost everyone's trust, didn't I?"

"You can regain it, you just need to learn how to control yourself." Jèrèmie gave a comforting smile. "Soon enough, you will find that someone that will understand and maybe even care about you like your children do."

Anxiously, the RED Demoman came up to the BLU Spy. "Are you sure this is a good idea, mate? He's a bloody man-eater, and kills to live," he whispered.

"I understand, but you're going to have to have a little faith." Jèrèmie whispered back.

"Alright then, suit yourself, laddie." Angus took several steps back to let Jèrèmie continue.

Damien leaned forward and gently grabbed Jèrèmie's shoulders, with desperation in his eyes. "Will you help me? Are you willing to help me? Please? I'm begging you! I don't know what I will do if this behavior keeps going…"

"Don't worry, I will do whatever I can to help, and so will the others. You just need to put a little more effort in controlling yourself." Jèrèmie repeated.

"Very well…I will try…" slowly and carefully, Damien pulled himself closer towards Jèrèmie. "Merci...I appreciate your help…I'm just so happy to have people support me in my times of need."

Even Jèrèmie was surprised to have the adult TentaSpy hug him of gratitude. He simply patted him on the back. "You're welcome…just promise to work on it."

Kyle put down his launcher next to him. "It seems we've…sort of misjudged your sense of character. But if I smell anything wicked or devious, it will be your head, slime-ball!" he warned.

Damien rose, moving away from Jèrèmie, and traced an 'x' over his chest. "I promise to do nothing of the sorts."

Without warning, the two little TentaSpies came rushing down the steps to Damien. "Daddy! Daddy!" Seth chirped, "Aunt Nikki was so much fun! She played hide-and-seek with us!"

Dimitri jumped on his father's back. "It was fun Daddy!" he yawned as he stretched his little tentacles and clung on the jet-black suit.

"Looks like it's time for bed for you two." Damien smiled, picking up Seth and heading towards the back door. He glanced back over to the group with a grateful grin. "Adieu, m'sieurs…" he said before exiting the factory and closing the door behind him.

Jake instantly turned towards the BLU Spy. "Are you out of your freakin' mind? What if we fell for some stupid trick? You know what happened last time when we let him go like that. I'm not so sure about it this time, man."

"Was that even part of the plan?" Bill asked, "I don't remember befriending some vile critter."

"Vhy did you change your mind all of a zudden, Herr Spy?" Klaus inquired.

"Gentlemen, I know what I had done. I know what the original plan was, it just that I couldn't do it after I saw the two young TentaSpies."

"Kids shouldn't be in the way of our missions, maggot, it only makes us only soft and weak!" Kyle snorted.

"Would you have the guts to tear apart a family and orphan those innocent children?" Jèrèmie snapped, frowning at the Soldier with a warning glare.

Kyle grew quiet, too surprised to move an inch.

"That is what I thought." Jèrèmie looked over the others, clearing his throat. "We are not here to take away the lives of blameless bystanders or pedestrians without cause. We are not here to make other lives miserable. We are here to complete our assigned missions and that is all."

"But…what exactly is the point of our missions? I mean, come on, mate, there's no real bloody point in our war." Benny clarified, "All we mainly do is steal Intels and capture points."

Jèrèmie blinked, considering the Sniper's words. "You do have a point. But what I am trying to say is that we should not let our war corrupt our minds and allow ourselves mindlessly murdering people. We are not war-machines, we are human beings and should act as such."

Kyle coughed. "Well…"

"What is it, Soldier?"

"I've been thinking just now that you…"

Jèrèmie's expression grew flat. "I understand, you still consider me as an enemy. If your opinions of my team are the same, then I will respect that…"

"Actually, we could bend a few rules and make some exceptions, Frenchie." With a small but welcoming smile, Kyle offered a hand towards the BLU Spy.

Jèrèmie was in astonishment as his mouth hung open. "Are you sure?"

"Why not? You helped our team quite enough to earn the title 'friend'." Kyle chuckled.

Jèrèmie eyes shifted over to see Léon, who nodded of approval. "Thank you," he said to the Soldier as he shook his hand.

"From this day forward, you are considered an honorary member of the RED Team. And if anyone tries to mess with you, that someone will get a painful tutor about Sun Zhu. But if you have to do your real job, there will be no grudge against you as we do ours." Kyle snickered, patting Jèrèmie on the back.

Léon slowly approached Jèrèmie. "Although I have to admit that truces are quite rare, I am also glad to have you on our side outside of battle."

"It's strange, isn't it?" Jèrèmie teased.

"I suppose."

"So, no hard feelings about the incident with your head being blown clean off?" Jèrèmie sheepishly grinned.

Léon smirked. "I've gone passed that, lucky for you."

As both Spies laughed, Bill glanced around to find Nicole. "Hey, does anyone know the time? I think we should get Nikki home."

"Uh, it's about eight-thirty, why?" Jake questioned, staring at the nearby wall-clock.

Jèrèmie's smile disappeared. "I agree, m'sieur Engineer, let's find Nicole. If we're fortunate enough, her parents would return in an hour or so. But if they come much sooner than that, then I'm afraid that they would keep her inside for a long while. We have no time to waste, gentlemen!"


	59. A Christmas Gathering

_Author's Note: It's time for the Anonymous Review Reply!_

_**Bearybeary**- Yup, otherwise...it would have been a very sad ending. Don't you worry, I have all the answers in this next chapter. Thanks for the review! (LOL! I liked the narration.)_

_**Scarlet Pumpernickel**- You are certainly welcome. It's okay, long reviews are good (as long as they're not flames or spam). Yeah, I thought that was kind of weird too (and awakard, I agree. I actually I could of done better)...but Damien can be a very weird character too. Acutally, Nicole was at the Factory where the RED Team stayed...so her parents are still normal (except that they both work a lot of hours during the day, leaving Nicole by herself at least 80% of the time). You have a point about paradies, I'll try to be carefull next time. You're right, but not too much. I know using the baseball wasn't a good tatic for the Scout, I just thought that would be funny. Don't worry, I'm okay with long reviews (as I said before). You are right, Damien is a very unstable TentaSpy when in certain conditions, but he did promise that he will honestly try this time to control himself, plus he has new friends he can count on to help. Yes, this is coming to a close. I should try putting the RED Team in more chapters in my third story. Yes, this was about Nicole's relationships with the Spies...and the RED Team of course. So I will improve on that too. Again, thank you so much for the helpful review! I appreciate it very much. ^_^_

_**Animed2Fox**- LOL! Yup, that's why the chapter had its title. XD Oh, that's because I don't think they are there yet. (And I had no idea that they were fighting for the Announcer's enjoyment...Wow, that Announcer's a bitch! XP That's why I hate her so much.) Thanks for the review! **Leon**: Apologies for not introducing myself earlier. The name is Leon, and I am the RED Spy. I've come to know Damien through recent events and I understand of his...unstable characteristics._

_Okay, readers, this is the last chapter of the ENTIRE story. I know it's sad and all...BUT NOT TO WORRY! I have extra stuff that I'm going to be posting as well. So keep on the look out for the surprises after the story. Thanks for your wonderful support and you guys are AWESOME! Enjoy this chapter! :D_

* * *

The morning snow drifted on the New York grounds. Skinny, gray clouds floated over the bright-blue skies. The first thing Nicole did when she rose from her bed was peer out her window. A childish grin appeared on her face. "It's Christmas!"

Sally yawned as she rolled back into her curled position after she stretched. Her content purring grew softer by the minute.

"Go ahead and rest, Sally," Nicole giggled, "I'll check up with you later." Slipping into her robe, she raced out from her room and hurried down the stairs as fast as she could.

It was the perfect place to put an artificial-white Christmas tree. By the fireplace it stood, with presents galore underneath on top of the blue tree-skirt. The lights wrapped the tree shined a glorious red and green as the traditional holiday colors and the glass ornaments covered in golden glitter hung on most of the stiff branches. And as silly as it was to Nicole, a plate with half-eaten cookies on the kitchen counter with an empty glass beside it. "After all these years…" she scoffed sarcastically as she examined the tree eagerly.

"Merry Christmas, honey."

Nicole glanced up by the stairway to see her mother pacing carefully down to join. "Morning, Mom. Merry Christmas to you, too."

"Alright now, what did Santa bring last night?" the father asked, joining his wife's side.

"Dad," Nicole laughed, "do you really think I'm still a little girl?"

"You're always my little girl, Nicole." Mr. Anderson laughed.

Nicole pouted teasingly. "C'mon, Dad, stop that…"

The parents smiled as they both sat down by the couches. "Hey, Nicole, why don't you open that little package over there?" Mr. Anderson suggested, pointing over towards a small, rectangular present wrapped in a seasonal snowman paper.

Nicole nodded and knelt over and reached for her gift. Without hesitation, she ripped the paper to see what it was. "Left 4 Dead 2…" she shook of head of surprise. "I should have seen it coming."

"Cool game, sweetie," Mr. Anderson complimented, "I hope you enjoy it. Since you loved the first one, I'm very sure you'll like this one."

"You…may be right…" Nicole nodded in agreement. "It might take a while, but I'll see if I like it." Then, as if randomly, she thought of the RED Team.

Nicole knew right away that it was mandatory to see her friends back at the factory. It was Christmas Day, and she simply could not ignore them. She knew right away that it would be difficult, but not entirely impossible, to sneak out of the house. However, understanding that her parents would stay in the house practically all day, Nicole changed plans and decided to ask a different question to fit the situation that she was in. After barely making it home after the major event with Damien a week before, she knew it was a risky to bring up any question in order to leave.

"How about going over to Cassie's after opening presents and wish her a merry Christmas like you do every year?" Mrs. Anderson advised.

The gears in Nicole's mind began to turn. "Good idea, Mom, thanks for reminding me. Oh, and is it okay if I walk around at Central Park or something? It looks so beautiful out there and I just wanted to see the scenery."

"As long as you call us when you heading home." Mrs. Anderson replied.

Nicole gave a quick nod in understanding as she began digging for more of her presents, trying to look as innocent as possible.

* * *

"Hey, boys, I'm here!" Nicole called as she opened the factory door, carrying a backpack over her shoulders.

The RED Team looked up and cheered. "Hey, Nicole! We were afraid you weren't gonna make it." Jake said, dashing up to her and giving her a quick hug.

Nicole happily hugged back. "Sorry about that, I had to convince my parents to let me out of the house for a while. Thank goodness that they are trying to treat me like an adult. Plus, they expected me to go to my friend's house to greet her and all that."

"Well, did ya?"

Nicole gave the Scout a blunt expression. "Yeah…but I had to make it brief in order to see you guys." She added.

"Howdy, Nikki!" Bill cheered, patting Nicole on the back, "Merry Christmas, little missy."

"Merry Christmas, Bill. Ooh! I brought you all something." Nicole held up her backpack. "I did a little Christmas shopping myself for each of you. It wasn't exactly easy, but I did it."

"Aw, Nikki, you didn't have to do that." Bill sheepishly grinned.

"Sure I can, I earned a lot of money from a ton of chores and good grades." Nicole explained, setting the bag down.

"Didn't you have a job interview months before?" the RED Spy asked as he snuck up behind her.

Nicole instantly jumped in alarm. "Oh! Geez, Léon, don't you scare me like that!" she growled, "How would you know that, anyway?"

Léon smiled. "I was your taxi cab driver, remember?"

Nicole frowned. "Oh yeah…right…I almost forgot."

"Distracted with other things, aren't you?" Léon chuckled, gently rubbing the top of her head.

Nicole sighed, rolling her eyes and trying not to laugh. "Alright, alright, alright, I'll tell you about that. Well, they called me a few months ago and told me that I wasn't accepted, so I don't have a real job yet."

"What job did you try to apply for?"

Nicole frowned at Léon. "Hey, come on! I'm not going to give away my daily life right away. I think some things are better left unsaid."

"_Some_ things?" Léon questioned, putting an arm around her shoulders.

"…Do you want your present or not?"

"Now, now, now, petite chou-fleur," Léon gave a quick peck on the cheek. "you know better than to pout on Christmas Day." He teased, pulling his arm back.

Nicole blushed. "Stop, Léon, you're embarrassing me."

The rest of the RED Team encircled Nicole like children surrounding an ice-cream truck. "So…what'da bring, Nicole?" Jake asked.

Nicole smiled as picked up the backpack and unzipped it. "I got you some comics!" she answered as she held them up.

"Wow, cool! I like Superman!" the Scout grinned, happily taking the comics. "Thanks, Nicole."

"Merry Christmas, Jake." Nicole hugged him with a pleased smile. "Who's next?" she glanced over at the Pyromaniac. "Pyro?"

Pyro nodded with excitement, jumping right in front of Nicole. He muffled as if to say 'yes'.

Out from the backpack, Nicole pulled out a bucket of rubber duckies and a cap resembling of the same yellow bird. "Happy Holidays!" she giggled.

Overwhelmed of pure joy, Pyro gave a quick squeeze and took the bucket. He instantly placed the cap on his mask and mumbled loudly.

"You're welcome Pyro. I had a feeling that you would love it."

"Oi, lassie, can I be next?" Angus asked with a silly little smirk.

"Of course. Now, it was difficult to get this, but I got it especially for you." Nicole explained as she took out a bottle of beer. "It's Bud Light. My grandpa gave this to my Dad about a week ago, but he doesn't drink at all. So I thought it would be best if I gave it to you."

Angus accepted the gift. "How'd ya…get it?" he inquired.

"Very, very carefully…" Nicole clarified with an embarrassed frown. "But, Merry Christmas, right?"

The Demoman patted her on the back. "Same to ya, lass."

"Benny?" Nicole called, "Do you want to be next?"

The Sniper shrugged. "Sure, why not?"

Nicole reached into her bag and pulled out a simple, red pocketknife. "I thought you might need this for daily stuff."

"What for? I already have a kukri." Benny said.

"Well, it's not only portable, but you can easily put it in your pocket instead of carrying around on your belt or something. Like I said before, you don't have to kill a bunch of people with it, you can use it like a basic tool."

"Well, I appreciate it, Shelia. Thank you." Benny patted Nicole on the head.

"No problem, man." Nicole laughed as she looked at the others. "Who wants the next one?" she asked.

"LITTLE GIRL MUST PICK ME! I WANT NEXT GIFT!" Boleslav shouted, nearly jumping up and down.

"Alright, I got you something special." Nicole took out a lunch box with logos and characters from Nintendo's Super Mario Brothers. "Now you can carry more than one sandwich."

"YES! MORE SANDVICHES! THANK YOU, LITTLE GIRL!" the Heavy held Nicole in his huge arms. "THIS IS GREAT GIFT!"

"You're…welcome…" Nicole giggled weakly, "Oh and…S'Rozhdestvom Kristovym."

"Ah, you know Russian too?"

"I…researched Christmas phrases…in different languages…just for you guys…It took a while to get it right, too..." Nicole added, "Can you please…put me down?"

"Da." Boleslav gently placed Nicole down.

"Hey, Kyle, I think you might like your present." Nicole said.

Kyle approached with a straight face. "What is it, maggot?"

From the bag, Nicole brought out a silvery chain and pendant of an eagle with the American flag clutched in its talons. "This has you written all over it." She grinned.

The Soldier lifted his helmet a few inches, revealing his olive-green eyes to get a better look. "Why…thanks, kiddo…" he took the necklace with a big smile on his face. "Now that's a great Christmas present. Thanks…maggot."

Nicole held out her hand. "Merry Christmas."

Kyle shook her hand. "Merry Christmas, Nicole." He replied.

"Vhat else do you have in zhere?" Klaus asked with gleaming eyes.

"I have a…" Nicole took out a thick medical book. "'Anatomy of the Human Body' book just for you. And it's a 2009 edition, so it's updated with more information to help with your job."

"Danke, fraulein!" Klaus smiled as he hugged her and accepted the book gratefully.

"And Frohe Weihnachten."

"Frohe Weihnachten." The Medic answered back.

Nicole glanced over at the RED Spy. "Hey, Léon."

"Hm?" Léon looked back at her.

"Don't think I forgot you." Nicole said as she handed him a shiny, red lighter to him. "I was thinking that this could replace your old one."

"Oui, it sure will." Léon smiled, taking the lighter.

Nicole gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Joyeux Noël."

"Joyeux Noël, petite chou-fleur."

Nicole nodded towards Léon as she came up to the Engineer. "And last, but certainly not least," she said as she reached into her bag and held out a power drill. "This is like the ultimate tool, it does several things so you don't have to get as many tools for building sentries and stuff." She stated, handing the drill to Bill.

"Thanks, Nikki, this could be really useful." Bill beamed as he hugged her. "This has been a wonderful Christmas."

"Anything for good friends." Nicole responded happily. When she stepped back, she studied the area. "Has anyone seen Jèrèmie? I was hoping that he would be here with you guys."

"_I'm here_."

Nicole turned towards her left to see a familiar face appear from seemingly nowhere. "Jèrèmie!"

"You didn't think that I wouldn't be here, did you?" The BLU Spy asked, approaching Nicole with a grin.

"I was just worried that you wouldn't get your Christmas present, Jèr." Nicole took out a fluffy, sky-blue scarf and handed it to him. "Merry Christmas, Jèrèmie."

"Merci." Jèrèmie took the scarf and wrapped it around his neck. "How do I look?"

Nicole giggled. "You look perfect." She complemented. Suddenly, her smile disappeared as she felt a slippery, snake-like limb creep up her shoulder.

"It's a wonderful time, isn't it?"

Nicole looked over her shoulders to see golden-reptilian eyes stare back at her. "D-Damien…h-hey." She smiled weakly.

"Bonjour, ma squatine. How are things?" the TentaSpy asked, with a smile full of sharp teeth. "I see that there's quite the celebration, no?"

With a carefully eye, Jèrèmie silently watched Damien to make sure that nothing would go wrong in any matter.

Nicole slowly nodded, still trying to retain her awkward grin. "Yeah…where are the kids?"

As if on cue, the two children peered out from behind their father. "Hiya, Aunt Nikki." Seth greeted.

"We've come to see you, Aunt Nikki." Dimitri explained.

Nicole smile grew. "Guess what, boys? I got something for both of you."

The two pairs of little reptile eyes looked up at her. They both rushed up to her by her side. "What is it?" Seth asked innocently.

Nicole took out two plush squid toys. "Alright, one for Seth and one for Dimitri." She handed they stuffed animals to the children. "Merry Christmas, you two." She patted each of the young TentaSpies on the head.

"What's Christmas, Aunt Nikki?" Dimitri inquired.

Seth turned towards the adult TentaSpy. "Daddy, what is Christmas? Have you heard of it?"

"That is a great question, son…" Damien answered, clearing his throat as he paused to think up of an explanation.

"Boys, why don't you go play upstairs with your new toys?" Nicole suggested in a friendly matter.

"Okay, Aunt Nikki." The boys agreed as they raced upstairs as quickly as they could.

Nicole glanced over at Damien. "Do you know what Christmas is?"

"…Non…" he hesitantly answered, shaking his head and looking ashamed of himself as he pulled the tentacle off from Nicole and setting it back down.

Nicole reached into her bag and showed him a golden locket. "It's about giving to those that you care about." she brought the locket closer to him. "Here, go on and take it."

Damien's smile widened. "Really?" he reluctantly took the locket. "Merci."

"Go ahead and open it."

Damien did as told. When he blinked, his eyes transformed into human, teal-blue eyes. A single tear streamed down his face to see a picture of him on the right lid and his two sons on the left one. "This…is…wonderful…" he sniffed, trying not to let himself cry anymore. "This right here is the greatest gift I have ever received in my life. Thank you, Nicole. I appreciate it."

Nicole couldn't help but to blush. "You're welcome. I took the pictures when you weren't looking. Plus, your kids helped with their picture."

Damien placed the locket in his inner coat pocket. "I have something for you as well. I've been wanting to give this to you for a while, and I think that now would be a great time." from another coat pocket, he acquired a divine pearl necklace that shined in any light tied together with strings and what had appeared to be dried seaweed threads. "I made this myself. It was a lot of work, but I did it. May I…put it on for you?"

Nicole face turned bright red. "Sure, go right ahead." slowly, she turned her back towards him.

Instinctively, Jèrèmie and the RED Team braced themselves in case the TentaSpy were to lose control and attack.

But Damien calmly and tied the string of pearls around Nicole's neck. "There you go. My, I have to say that you look beautiful with that one."

"Thanks Damien. How did you make it?" Nicole asked.

"Well, every so often, I would find the pearls in the raw clams and oysters I suck on."

Nicole's grateful smile turned into a disgusted frown. "Oh…really?"

"Is there something wrong?"

Nicole shook her head as she grinned awkwardly. "No…I appreciate this. It's really pretty and all."

The RED Team and the BLU Spy exchanged looks and glances, unsure of what to make of Damien's fact. But Jake bravely stepped forward towards Nicole. "Hey, Nicole…Speakin' of passin' presents and all…the rest of us got ya some things as well." he said.

"That's very kind of all of you guys." Nicole beamed.

"C'mon, guys! Let's go get 'em!" Jake called out to the rest of his team as they scrambled around to find Christmas presents.

* * *

Nicole stood on the docks at the back of the factory. The light-gray clouds seemed to stretch on towards the horizon as snow continued to drift downward.

"Aren't you cold, chéri?"

Nicole turned to see Jèrèmie advance towards her. "I'm okay, Jèrèmie."

Jèrèmie stood by her side, still wearing the scarf she had given to him earlier. "I have to say that was amusing." he commented. "Who knew that Jake would give you a baseball?"

"Yeah, but it had the signatures of all the RED Team, including yours." Nicole grinned. "And Kyle was really nice to give me another home-made medal."

"Oui, it sure was."

"I also liked what Pyro gave me."

"What was it again?" Jèrèmie asked.

"A dried sunflower…but I like how he kind of burnt it to put his mark on it." she giggled.

"I have to admit that Angus' gift was…interesting."

"Yeah, I don't know what to do with a broken scrumpy bottle, but if he says it's for self-defense, then I'll go with that. And I thought it was really sweet to have Boleslav to give me a couple of bullets from his minigun."

"His minigun means everything to him, so giving you a few bullets is meant to show you how much he trusts you." Jèrèmie guessed.

Nicole nodded in understanding. "That makes sense. Oh! And the tooth necklace Benny gave is cool. I'm wearing it right now with my pearl necklace." she showed as she picked the thick lace tied with the fangs dangling from it.

"Yes, I think it does look pretty good on you." Jèrèmie stated.

Nicole blushed. "Aw…thank you. Now, Bill's gift was great, too. I'll put his old wrench up on my bookshelf to show off."

"Please be careful with it." Jèrèmie warned.

"Don't worry, he said that he used to use it during college. He said that he would never give up the one he uses now with building sentries and stuff." Nicole added, laughing a bit. "I can understand why."

"I don't understand why Léon gave you a spare butterfly knife…would your parents be alarmed to see you carrying one of those things?" Jèrèmie questioned with a frown.

"That's why I'm going to hide it. I'll use it in case of emergencies." Nicole said.

"…As you wish."

"I admired Klaus' gift…the German-English dictionary and a few packs of Medikits." Nicole included.

"The kits really do work well, so use them wisely." Jèrèmie suggested.

"Thanks for telling me."

"You're forgetting something, chéri." Jèrèmie corrected.

Nicole blinked, staring at the BLU Spy with confusion. "What?"

Jèrèmie held up a small, blue box in front of her. "Open it." he suggested.

Without hesitation, Nicole lifted the lid to hear beautiful music beginning to play. She gasped to listen to the small chimes create a melodious tune.

Jèrèmie chuckled. "Well, what do you think? I can tell that you're speechless."

"It's amazing, Jèr…How did you get this?"

"I picked it out from one of the antique stores. When I first heard it, I thought of you."

Nicole's blushing continued to grow. "I don't know what to say, Jèrèmie…" she suddenly started to tear up as she took the little music box in her hands. "Thank you…"

Jèrèmie gently wiped away a tear. "Joyeux Noël."

Nicole wrapped her arms around him. "Merry Christmas…" she looked up to see his gorgeous chocolate-brown eyes. "There's one last thing…" she reached into her jacket pocket and held up a small green plant with white berries. "I only bought a fake plant this at a hobby store," she confessed with a sheepish smirk.

"But the mistletoe is still hanging over us, oui?" Jèrèmie smiled back, putting his arms around her shoulders and tugging her forward. "Shall we?"

"Of course…" Nicole agreed, putting down her arm and dropping the mistletoe.

The two leaned forward, bringing their heads together and pressed lips against each other's. It didn't matter to Nicole that he was much older or even the fact that he smoked. It wasn't a desperate kind of love or a newly wedded love, but a caring love that emerged from their hearts as their kiss lingered.

After a moment or so, Nicole pulled herself back, unable to control her wide smile.

"Je t'aime, ma petite chéri." Jèrèmie whispered in her ear, stroking her dark-brown hair and locking eyes with her amber-colored ones.

"I love you too, Jèrèmie." Nicole softly replied, nuzzling her head on his chest while still holding on to him as a child would with her beloved parent.


	60. Deleted Scene 1: Léon

_Author's Note: Surprise! It isn't over yet! I have some bonus materail to show before this story is complete! But first, here is the Anonymous Review Reply!_

_**Fred the Fish**- I thought it was cute too. Yes, I know that it is June...and I posted up a Christmas chapter. I had actualy finished writing the story around that time...so I just stuck with it. Yeah, that was the last chapter, but I have more things to post up first! Yes, there is going to be a third story...but that will be after I finish Damien's background story. Thanks for the review!_

_**Avada**- Thanks for the review! **Leon**: Merde! I TOLD YOU FOR THE LAST TIME: I AM A GOOD GUY NOW! HOW DO YOU WANT ME TO PROVE IT?_

_**Animed2Fox**- Thanks, I'm glad that you found it amusing. Yes, that was the last chapter...but I'm posting up extra things. The next story will happen after I finish Damien's background story. Thanks for the review! **Leon**: Is there something wrong?_

**_awesomedacious1_**_- Um...I guess that you enjoyed the ending, right? Thanks for the review! :)_**_  
_**

_**NYAN (with extra 'N')**- (who reviewed POTF). Yes, Nicole is very naive...but she'll get better. Thanks for the review!_**_  
_**

_Okay, the bonus material that I am posting up (at this point) are DELETED SCENES! This first one takes place in between chapters 31 and 32 (in case you are not sure). Enjoy, everyone! :D_

* * *

Léon sulked into the factory with Pyro and Klaus not too far behind him. He knew that it would not end well.

"Vhat is vrong vith you, dummokpf?" the Medic growled, slamming the door behind him, "Vhy vould you hurt ze fraulein at all?"

The Pyro muffled angrily as he brought up the end of the flamethrower towards the Spy's face.

Léon sighed. "Why do you care? This is my business, and I don't even want my own team getting into it." He replied with a snarl, straightening his back and trying not to look intimidated.

"But zhe is our friend, Herr Léon, and ve treat her like everyone else."

Suddenly, the Scout rushed down the stairs. "What's goin' on, guys?"

"Herr Scoot, ve need to get everyone down here. Léon has an important confession to make, and I vant to make zure zhat _everyone_ is hear to listen." Klaus explained, frowning at Léon.

Jake shrugged and nodded in understanding. "Yeah, sure, that's fine." He said as he rushed back upstairs.

"This is outrageous!" Léon hissed, "Is it truly necessary to go through all of this? I meant no harm on Mademoiselle Nicole."

"You mentally harmed ze fraulein, Herr Léon! Is zhat enough for you?"

Once again, Jake ran down the stairs as fast as he could, with the others trailing behind him. "Alright, alright, I got 'em. So, wha'cha need, Doc?"

"Oi, what's bloody goin' on, lads?" Angus moaned, almost tripping himself when he came to a stop and joined the others, "I better not have tumbled down the stairs for no reason…"

"Alright, who's the piker that's in trouble?" Benny asked, glancing at the Spy and Pyro.

"Klaus said it was Léon, but he didn't tell me why." Jake answered the Sniper's question.

"C'mon fellas, I got important work to do. Hurry it up, Doc, and spit it out." Bill complained.

Klaus sighed, shaking his head. "Alvight, alvight…I vill explain ze basis of it and Léon vill give more details." He paused, fidgeting nervously as he fixed his glasses back in place. "Ve all know zhat Herr Léon has been trying to make an acquaintance vith ze fraulein, right?"

Everyone nodded in agreement, knowing very well that Nicole and Léon had been trying to get to know each other in some manner.

"Vell…it zeemed zhat Léon had been vanting to become more zhan friends vith Fraulein Anderson…in a forceful vay."

"…Wait, wait, wait, Doc!" The Scout interrupted, "So what you're tryin' to say is that Léon had been trying to do stuff with Nicole? As in…" his confused expression quickly turned into a horrified one. "Rape?"

"Ja, zhat is correct, Herr Scoot." Klaus slowly nodded.

Bill was the first to gasp in astonishment. "Why you yella'-bellied, gutless coward!" he snarled, "Why in the hell would you do such a thing?"

Léon was silent, frowning at the upset Engineer.

"Not only zhat…" Klaus cleared his throat, "Actually, I vill let Herr Léon explain himself now."

Pyro pressed the tip of his flamethrower against the Spy's back, muffling angrily and wanting him to tell his side of the story.

Léon sighed, rolling his eyes. "Klaus is right…I had done terrible things to Mademoiselle Nicole for the past several days since our arrival. And another thing, Nicole and I had known each other before we arrived here."

"What do you mean by that?" Jake questioned, giving him a distrustful glare.

"…I was the one who kidnapped her and brought her to the Fortress in the first place. I even abused her at our Base."

"Well it's no wonder that she popped out from bloody nowhere…" Angus commented with an aggravated slur, "Ye ally-creepin' snake! Any idea why ya did that, ye no good backstabber?"

"So it was _you_ who was messing with my Universal Teleporter contraption before!" Bill snapped.

Léon rolled his eyes in annoyance. "Oui, I activated your precious teleporter to get to Nicole's location."

"JUST TELL US WHY, MAGGOT!" Kyle shouted, tightening his fists, "OR I'LL TEAR OUT YOUR VERY SOUL WITH MY BARE HANDS!"

Pyro shoved the end of the flamethrower against Léon's back, mumbling angrily as if suggesting the same thing as the Soldier.

"It had been a long time since I had seen a woman in my life…" Léon began, "and I was starting to feel lonely. But when I saw Bill's special teleporter, I just had to take advantage of it. It wasn't my first intention to pick Nicole as my victim, I just wanted to find someone that was easy to control and manipulate. When I disguised myself as a taxi driver, it didn't take me long to find her. At that moment, I knew that the two of us would spend wonderful times together." he smiled weakly, but it quickly vanished as he saw the rest of his team glaring hatefully at him.

"So you just wanted her as some sexual relief? You sicken me, you damn wanker!" Benny snarled, "It makes perfect sense of why Shelia had been so deathly afraid of you, piker!"

In a blind rage, Boleslav picked Léon up with his huge hands and lifted him up effortlessly. "HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN? WHY DID YOU DO SUCH A THING TO LITTLE GIRL! SHE IS TINY BABY GIRL, AND YOU HURT BABY! YOU ARE STUPID! IF YOU WEREN'T ON THIS TEAM, I WOULD KILL YOU, AND KILL YOU, AND KILL YOU! WHAT YOU DID WAS NOT CREDIT TO TEAM!" he roared ferociously as he shook the Spy like a rag doll.

Léon was unable to speak a single word as the enormous Russian shouted at him.

"Boleslav, I zhink he got your point. Can you put him down, bitte?" Klaus asked, calmly but firmly.

The Heavy nodded, gently putting Léon back on his feet.

"Alright, Frenchie maggot, listen up and listen well." Kyle hissed, showing his teeth, "We are a Team and we work together. Each member has an important job to do. Your job is not to take women and hold them captive for your own playtime. I may have been in the cruelest battles before and seen some gruesome things, but I have _never_ seen such filth and foulness from a man like you. You disgust me to the core. If I could, I would crack your damn skull and put your head on a fence post! But since you are with us, I only have one thing to say." he approached Léon slowly, lifting his helmet to look him straight in the eye. "You are walking _vomit_!" he barked, turning his back towards the Spy and storming off.

"I agree with Kyle…for once." Jake commented, "I knew that you were a creepy bastard and a scumbag, but I had no freakin' idea that you were insane. How could you treat Nicole like that, huh?" he walked up to him, poking him in the chest. "HUH? C'mon, you think you're so tough? Well tell me why you tortured her like that and treated her like shit! And know what else? You. Are. Terrible. You suck on ice, ya dick!"

Without warning, the Engineer grabbed Léon by the shirt collar and yanked him towards him. "Nikki is our friend, and I can be wolverine mean if you dare harm her in any way, you sick son of a bitch! We all care about her and she's like family to us! However, you had to take things in your selfish ways with your dirty paws. I have to admit that if it wasn't for you kidnapping her, we would not have met such that sweet and gentle kid. But you're head wasn't screwed on right when you tried doing such horrible things to poor Nikki. What did she do to you that made her deserve that kind of crap? Let me give you a fair warning, Léon. If you try doing something like that again, I will lay you out and blow you back to Hell, snake!" with an angry growl, Bill shoved the Spy away.

Léon brushed himself and fixed his tie. "I understand all of your points, gentlemen. Now if you will excuse me, I will have my time alone with my thoughts." he studied everyone's expressions before heading towards the stairs.

"IS THAT ALL YOU HAVE TO SAY FOR YOURSELF, YA FREAK?" Jake shouted, waving his fist around at him.

"Vhat a dummkopf Spy…" Klaus groaned, adjusting his glasses again, "Let us hope he has learned a valuable lesson."

The RED Spy quietly dragged himself up the stairs. He constantly kept his eye on the floor. Images of Nicole's terrified face were stuck in his mind. Taking out a white cigarette from his disguise kit, Léon tried desperately to think of something other than his incidents with Nicole. But without warning, he thought of a different woman. His pale-blue eyes widened in shock as he recognized her. He remembered the blue dress and short, black hair clearly.

It had been many years since he had seen his previous lover. He smiled dimly as he remembered the precious moments he had with her. Although he could not think of her real name, 'petite chou-fleur' was all that came to him. Every single memory of the two returned. When they had first met, their first date, and especially their first affair were as clear as day.

Suddenly, his smile vanished when a particular memory entered his thoughts. He visualized the argument on their last night together. She accused Léon for being in too much control over her. He slapped her across the face for saying such a false claim. But they both knew that it was evident. Full of rage, he had also insulted her and pushed her away, threatening to hurt her. With tears streaming down her face, she called him a 'cruel man' and 'heartless' before running out of the room. It was the last time they had spoken to each other and the very last time that they would see one another.

Horrified from the memory, Léon tried to get it out of his head by putting the cigarette in his mouth and lighting it. But it had no effect. He rushed into his room, shutting the door behind him. He paced back and forth, hoping that the memory would fade away in time. By the time moments had passed, Léon still was haunted by the terrible thought that seemed to possess him. At first, he did not understand why he thought of his ex-lover when he had been recently tormenting Nicole.

Then the answer was obvious. Time repeated itself. Léon had become too desperate and tried forcing things on Nicole as he had done so with his former sweetheart. Upon realizing this, he sat down on the bed and spat out the cigarette out from his mouth. "What am I becoming?" he moaned, burying his head in his gloved hands.


	61. Deleted Scene 2: Fan Art

_Author's Note: It's time for the Anonymous Review Reply!_

_**Avada**- Thanks for the review! **Leon**: I know what mistakes I have made! And I realize now that I was a complete fool! Why can't you see that? I've apologized many times now!_

_**Scarlet Pumpernickel**- Yup, because Nicole wouldn't understand her parents if they were at her house. Yeah, you're right. Maybe "funny" wasn't the right word. I meant that it would have been more of a Scout. Besides, he wasn't close enough to save Nicole with just his bat, so he hit the baseball at Damien instead. Yes! I thought that it would be cute to have Pyro obessed with rubber ducks (or ducks in general). XD Sure did, otherwise...we would have never known why Leon changed so quickly. No, it's okay. I like long reviews. You don't have to make them short. Thanks for the review! I appreciate it!_

_And here's Deleted Scene #2! This one takes place in between chapters 35 and 36! Enjoy! (Plus, I owe this chapter to my beloved readers because I did not put it in the original story.)_

* * *

"Guys…are you sure you want to do this?" Nicole asked, glancing back at each member of the RED Team as she entered her room.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Jake said, rolling his eyes of impatience, "just show us the freakin' fan stuff already!" he gently pushed her back, urging her to get to the computer desk as quickly as possible.

"Hey, if you don't like any of it, just remember that it was your idea, okay?" Nicole said, going to the desk and sat down on the chair.

"So…that's your computer?" Bill questioned with interest as he stared at the monitor. "Woo-wee! That's a beautiful piece of machinery." He chuckled lightly.

Nicole smiled at the Engineer and nodded. "Yup, it sure is. You haven't seen this computer before? Or was that Jake who went into my room on that first day you guys came here?"

"C'mon, Nicole! Nobody freakin' cares! Just show us! Please? Please? Please?" The Scout interrupted, begging constantly as he grabbed Nicole by the shoulders and shook her.

"Damn, Jake, you're almost like Cassie…but slightly less hyper." Nicole laughed, starting up the internet.

"Now remember, gentlemen," Léon said, clearing his throat and adjusting his tie, "This is only what people think of us. None of this…fan art is real."

"Thank you so much for those kind words of wisdom." Nicole rolled her eyes as he typed in the words 'Team Fortress 2 fan art' on the Google search.

"What? I was only trying to help. I don't want anyone to believe that we are what the pedestrians think of us. I don't want to imagine us as game characters somebody made up. We are real people, after all." The Spy explained himself with a straight face.

"Don't worry, Léon, I know."

"Just search for the art already!" Jake moaned, starting to lose his patience.

Nicole pressed 'Enter' on the keyboard and waited for results. "Okay, guys, this is also my first time looking up 'TF2' artwork and such, so my reactions will be just as genuine

"…You mean you never looked them up yourself?" Jake questioned, trying to hold back his laughter.

"I just thought that it wouldn't be that important."

"Not that important? It's bloody important to us! We are famous and legendary!" Angus nearly shouted before quickly gulping down his scrumpy.

"Yeah, Angus, you guys are pretty well known in the game franchise." Nicole smiled weakly. "It's just that I didn't really think about looking up fan art myself. I, too, have a life." She noticed the screen had changed. "Here we go, guys. Prepare to see some fan art."

The display screen showed images of hand-drawn characters to computer graphic versions of the classes.

"Hey! Cool!" Jake beamed, "It's me!" he pointed to himself on the monitor. "That's freakin' sweet right there! Look at me! Look at me!"

"Shut up, maggot! We all can see you." Kyle groaned, pulling the excited Scout back.

"Hey! No fair, helmet-head!" Jake pouted and crossed his arms.

"Sorry, boy, but allow us to see the pictures instead of poke your sorry nose right in front of it." The Soldier explained with a frown.

Léon smiled as he saw himself in an image. "I have to admit that the pedestrians here can get my character down quite well."

"Oi! Now that's how a Demoman should bloody act!" Angus cheered, waving his bottle around. "Look at me doin' _my_ job bloody right! HA HA HA!" with an obnoxiously loud belch, he continued to drink some more.

"I zee zhat ze locals like me as vell." Klaus smiled before noticing an image of himself with a demented gleam in his eyes and holding up a blood-covered bonesaw. "Agh! I am not like zhat! Ze crazier Medic is ze BLU one." He frowned, rolling his eyes. "Other zhan zhat, my image is close enough."

"Bugger," Benny laughed, "I like what I see so far." He focused on his picture of himself.

Kyle grinned as he saw himself in many battle poses and fight scenes. "Now that's what I want to see. Do you see that, men? That is the public getting my character correctly!" he suddenly frowned to see BLU team members on some of the images. "NO, SIR! THOSE MAGGOTS HAVE NO RIGHT TO BE ON THIS COMPUTER!"

Nicole sighed. "Will you please not shout angrily at anything that involves with the BLU Team? We're just here to enjoy some fan-art, that's all. Okay, Kyle?"

Kyle grumbled. "Fine…"

Pyro happily muffled and jumped up and down to see his images on the computer screen. He waved his arms up in the air and giggled of pure joy.

"The folks 'round here do a pretty good job at characterizing us." Bill smiled, "I look just fine."

"PICTURES ARE CREDIT TO TEAM!" Boleslav cheered, pointing himself out with his rather large hands and fingers. "I like what I see, and everything is very good!" he laughed.

Suddenly, Jake gasped in shock. "WHAT THE HELL IS THIS CRAP?" he barked, pointing at a picture of a girl wearing the Scout's clothes.

Angus was the first to laugh. "I had a feelin' that you would be a wee-lass."

"Shut up! That's not freakin' funny!" Jake groaned. He spotted another image and smirked. "Hey! I guess I'm not the only one!" he pointed at a RED Team entirely of woman versions of the men, which horrified everyone else.

"This is awkward…" Léon frowned. "Can you please go to something else?"

"Zhis is unacceptable! How can ze people even zhink of zuch a thing? Dummkopfs!" Klaus growled.

"…It could be worse, lads." The Demoman shrugged his shoulders. "They could have imagined us as ugly women."

Benny gave a cold glare at Angus. "C'mon, mate, you know this is just bad for our image. I mean, look at us! This is down right embarrassing!"

"Umm…okay, this is quite strange…" Nicole sighed as she clicked out from the zoomed picture and scrolled down to see other pictures. "Don't worry guys, it's just people's imaginations. That did not mean that they want women on 'Team Fortress 2', right?"

"I freakin' hope not!" Jake scoffed, "Those dumbasses think they can picture us as girls? No way! I ain't lettin' that happen!"

"Just relax, guys, I'm sure we'll see better stuff sooner or later." Nicole assured as she continued scrolling and viewing other pictures. She stopped all together when she saw a peculiar picture with a Medic and Heavy. "Uhh…what?"

"Is zhat…a Medic and Heavy…kissing?" Klaus' eyes widened in shock to see the two classes making out in the picture.

The Heavy gasped. "Doctor is credit to team, but not like that! Who made picture? What coward is responsible?"

Jake began to laugh. "Whoa, guys, I had no idea that you were like that!"

"Vould you like your examination _early_, Herr Scoot?" Klaus hissed.

The Scout instantly shut his mouth and backed off from the angry Medic.

Nicole continued search for other images and pictures, only to find more unusual pairings of the classes. "Oh! Um, I see that there is a lot of slash pairings…"

"'Slash pairings'?" Jake questioned with a worried expression.

"Yeah…It's when you put two people of the same gender together, like gay pairings and such."

"I can't stand lookin' at any of this, anymore!" Benny complained, "Just bloody look at this!" he pointed at a Spy and Sniper kissing on one image. "That is just wrong!"

Léon glanced over at the Sniper, shifting his position awkwardly from him. "Uh," he cleared his throat nervously, "Oui, I agree with Benny…This isn't exactly us."

Benny nodded, also turning away from the Spy. "Right."

"I'm sorry, guys, I wasn't expecting all this either." She explained, trying to scroll away from the images of pairings. "Oh, shit…" she froze upon seeing a Spy and Scout nude, making out, and in each other's arms.

Jake immediately jumped away from Léon. "Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! HELL NO! I ain't like that!"

Léon couldn't help but laugh. "Relax, boy, this is not real. We are not like that, oui?"

"Just get that freakin' picture out of my sight! NOW!" The Scout panicked, looking away from the screen and Léon.

Nicole quickly clicked out from 'Google Images'. "Alright! It's gone!"

Jake slowly glanced over at the monitor. "Phew…that scared the shit out of me…"

Léon chuckled. "Don't worry, Jacob, you'll get over it." He gave an affectionate pat on the back with a grin.

Jake flinched. "Geez! Don't do that, ya spook!"

Nicole sighed. "Alright guys, how about we look up some videos of you guys?"

Everyone glanced over at her with a worried and horrific look. "Are you sure it's decent enough?" Bill inquired.

Nicole nodded with a small smile. "Of course! It shows the real you in action!" she stated as she searched for 'Meet the Team' videos. "Why don't we start with 'Meet the Scout'? That ought to calm him down."

Almost instantaneously, Jake rushed up to Nicole's side. "Hell yes! Let's do it! I want to see! I want to see!"

Nicole giggled. "I haven't seen it myself, or any of the other videos except the 'Meet the Spy' one. But what I've heard, you are going to be impressed by how awesome it is." She clicked on a few links and sat back to watch the video.

While Jake was mesmerized by the video, the others just patiently waited. Kyle loomed over Nicole with a frustrated glare. "You just had to excite the Scout, huh?"

Nicole looked up to see the Soldier's olive eyes and sheepishly grinned. "Sorry, Kyle, I didn't know what is reaction would be. But I can promise you that you'll be the same when you see your video."


	62. Deleted Scene 3: Damien

_Author's Note: Hello! Sorry I am late! But here's the Anonymous Review Reply!_

_**Avada**- (Yes! There will be another story, actuall two if you count Damien's background story that I will start posting up by this week.) Thanks for the review! **Leon**- Oh, geez, thanks. *gives you a look* Will you quit bothering me? I have turned good, and there is no reason to fight me anymore._

_**awesomesauce1**- Oh! That's great! I'm very happy that you loved the ending. ^_^ Thanks again for the review! I appreciate it!_

_**Animed2Fox**- Thanks. I'm sorry, I would just assume that they wouldn't care that much since they are familiar about it. They just loved seeing themselves on the internent more. XD Thanks! ^.^ **Leon**: *thinks about it* Ohh...I see..._

_Okay, guys, this is it: The last deleted scene before I call this story "OFFICIALLY" complete. It has been a blast writing this story! For those who don't know, there will be a third story coming soon. But first, I have other stories to write, **INCLUDING** **DAMIEN THE TENTASPY'S BACKGROUND STORY! LOOK FOR IT THIS WEEK**! Until then, enjoy this scene, which takes place inbetween the contents of chapter 51. Enjoy, everyone...**AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT!** (To the Anonymous Reviewers, I will post up my replies to you starting on Damien's background story: chapter 1.) Quick warning, this chapter has a bit of...sexual content._

* * *

It had seemed like any other cold winter night with the snow quietly drifting down from the dark skies outside. Trisha Jezbell was peacefully asleep underneath her plush covers. With the nearby heater on, things were comfortable for her as she slumbered.

She tossed and turned at the touch of a hand on her shoulder. At first, there was not much of a response. But as the hand began to shake her lightly, she muttered and turned her head towards the source with half-open eyes. "What do you want?"

Two teal eyes looked down upon her. The tall and shady figure towered above her by the bedside.

Trisha's bright-blue eyes widened when she did not recognize the person. Before she could attempt to shriek, the hand covered her mouth in a blink of an eye.

"Sshhh…" the mysterious figure placed a finger up to his lips. "Don't say a word. You don't want to wake up everyone else, do you?" he whispered softly with a sinister chuckle. He placed his free hand down to his side. "You're prettier than I expected."

Trisha whimpered, thrashing about and trying to shake his other hand off from her. She studied the intruder carefully.

He wore a solid black suit with a matching tie, mask, and gloves. He smiled as he tightened his grip on her. "Now, now, let's not get too excited, my dear. You are Trisha Jezbell, right?"

Her eyes narrowed as she stopped, muffling unclearly.

"I thought so. The picture I have matched perfectly." he took the photo from his inner coat pocket and tossed it aside. "I bet you are wondering why I am here. It's very simple. But I will not answer that right away. Before we get started, here are some rules I want you to follow. The first is that you will not talk unless I ask you a question. Second, if you struggle, scream, or fight back, I will have your neck snapped in two! Is that clear?"

Trisha nodded slowly out of fear.

"Excellent." The shady man smiled, taking his other hand off from her. "Allow me to introduce myself. The name is Damien, chéri. It's such a pleasure to meet you at last."

"W-What do you want with me, you freakish creeper?" Trisha begged.

Damien hissed as he slapped her across the face. "I said do not talk unless you are told to!"

Trisha sobbed, cowering under the covers. "I-I'm sorry!"

"Hmph, just try to follow rules next time." Damien snorted, yanking the covers away. "Oh! That reminds me! Did you lose your dog recently?" he asked calmly.

"H-How do you know?" Trisha questioned, sitting up and giving him a confused glance.

With an evil sneer, Damien reached into his pocket again and threw a bright pink collar and a leg bone next to her. "This is what happened to it."

Trisha gasped, realizing what had happened to her beloved pet. "Cupcake! No!" she cried, taking the bloodstained collar and holding up to her chest.

"That dog was a fat, little thing…and…quite delicious too." Damien snickered, licking his lips.

"…You ate my Chihuahua? What kind of sick man are you?"

Damien's cackled darkly. "A man? Ha! I believe it is time to show you who I really am." he said as he blinked.

Trisha jumped in horror to see his eyes turn golden yellow and non-human. She became speechless as black smoke quickly surrounded Damien. But when the smoke faded, nothing else had seemed to change. But when she looked down, she nearly yelped to see that his legs had transformed into eight, large, inky-black tentacles.

"This is my true form." Damien continued, "I am not entirely human as you can clearly see. I am a dreadful creature…a monster!" he leaned over her, with his clawed hands reaching out towards her.

"No, please! Get away!" Trisha begged, curling herself up into a tight ball, "P-Please don't hurt me!"

"Ah, sweet music to my ears. I always enjoy the pleas and cries of my victims." Damien crawled on to the bed, settling himself on top of her.

"Wait! What are you doing? Get off!" Trisha panicked, struggling to pry herself out from underneath him and push him away.

Angrily, one of the slippery limbs snaked over Trisha's mouth and constricted her by the throat. "What did I tell you about struggling or fighting back? If you just stay calm and let me do everything else, then I promise that it will be quick…But I'm not guaranteeing that it will be painless." Damien laughed as more slimy tentacles began to seize her.

Trisha's heart hammered in her chest as the sticky suction cups pressed against her body. One of tentacles even slithered under her shirt and coiled around her breasts.

"What is this? Are you getting tense?" Damien mocked, twirling a finger in her dirty-blonde hair. "Settle down, chéri, I promise I won't hurt you…yet."

Trisha squeaked in shock, trembling from the eerie feeling of tentacles crawling all over her.

One stray tentacle slipped under her pajama pants and slithered down in between her legs. "This is where the fun begins, Mademoiselle Jezbell," the malicious creature giggled, "Don't struggle, ma petite fille, it will only make things worse for you."

Trisha immediately froze once the tentacle had slipped right in her private and started to squirm around inside. Immobilized by the overwhelming discomfort and fear, all she could do was sob and bear through it. To her, it was pure suffering as the tentacle went in deeper by the second.

Damien purred as he nuzzled her and traced lines across her chest with other tentacles. He even licked a few tears off from her face. "You see? This is what happens when your own success blinds you. You become unaware of other things and vulnerable to terrible things. I'm afraid that you are learning your lesson the hard way. It's too bad that nobody can hear you right now since your parents are downstairs sleeping and have no idea that you're in serious trouble. I guess they will find out first thing in the morning." he took two of his claws, dug into her chest, and caused bleeding. He wiped some of the oozing blood and licked it off his fingers. "How very tasty. You'll make a fine desert." he chuckled wickedly.

Even if she had tried, Trisha was unable to move while staring deep into his reptilian eyes. She continued to whimper and moan.

"I admit that you are amusing and fun to play with, but I hate to say that I am almost done with you." Damien smiled, revealing sharp teeth. "Do you now know what it's like to be tortured and abused by someone with more power than you? I'm sure that's how your weaklings feel, non?" he pulled the tentacle back out from her pants.

Trisha squeaked in pain and flinched. She desperately glanced at him, hoping that her torment was ending.

"Just one last thing, and I will free you, my dear." Damien promised as he took out a butterfly knife and unfolded it.

Trisha struggled violently as she saw the blade. She tried pushing her arms that were pinned against her body from the tentacles' grasp.

"This is for all the suffering you forced Mademoiselle Nicole Anderson to go through!"

Trisha's muffling grew slightly louder as she continued to squirm.

"Aww, why so scared? I'm only giving you a reward…your _eternal_ reward!" Damien snarled as he jammed the knife straight through her chest.

The struggling had stopped, and the muffles ceased. Damien's tentacles retracted as he examined the body. He carved a hole in the chest with the knife and reached in. Once he had plucked the heart out, he grabbed a leather pouch from his other pocket and placed the heart inside. Once he tucked the pouch back in the pocket, Damien licked the blood from his gloves. "So…luscious…I must have more." he leaned towards her neck and sunk his teeth into it, taking a chunk of her flesh. Blood dripped from his mouth as he chewed. Finishing his bite, he smacked his lips to analyze the flavor. "Let the feast begin." he smirked as he began to eat.

A while had passed, and there was blood all over Damien. The body was partially devoured with several bones sticking out. "My task is complete, now to return and show ma petite squatine her gift." he said to himself, licking the blood off his mouth and getting off the bloodstained bed, "Squatine will be very surprised when she sees the good deed that I did for her." he chuckled manically, vanishing in his cloak without leaving any trace of his own.


End file.
